[Dilated cardiomyopathy induced by ectopic atrial tachycardia]

The deleterious effect of chronic or incessant supraventricular tachycardia on ventricular function is well-known and it has been demonstrated than can ultimately lead to dilated cardiomyopathy if unrecognized. Any variety of supraventricular tachycardia with chronic evolution may lead to left ventricular dysfunction, ectopic atrial tachycardia because of its persistent nature, often incessant and poorly responsive to antiarrhythmic drugs is a frequent cause of reversible congestive heart failure in patients without other demonstrable organic heart disease. Five patients (aged 14 to 52 years) were referred with symptoms of heart failure, NYHA functional class II (one patient), class III (one patient) and class IV (3 patients) associated with an incessant ectopic atrial tachycardia. Four patients underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation of the ectopic focus and one patient was treated with amiodarone. All patients were successfully treated and the echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular function indicated regression of the cardiomyopathy picture with recovery of systolic function, (mean left ventricular ejection fraction 39.2 +/- 6.1% before vs mean 62.4 +/- 4.8% after (p < 0.01). The clinical and echocardiographic picture of cardiomyopathy induced by incessant ectopic atrial tachycardia is reversible after successful treatment. This stresses the necessity of recognizing such arrhythmia as cause of primary heart failure.