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Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia in the elderly
Alexandre Cesar Ferreira1, Santiago Andrés Garcia, Melissa A Pasquale
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA.
Heart Disease (Hagerstown, Md.)
|November 25, 2003
Summary
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD), a heart condition usually seen in young adults, was diagnosed in an octogenarian. This case represents the oldest patient with ARVD documented in medical literature.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pathology
Background:
- Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is a genetic cardiomyopathy.
- It is characterized by fibrofatty replacement of the right ventricle.
- ARVD typically manifests in young adults, leading to arrhythmias.
Observation:
- A case study of an octogenarian patient presented with severe cardiac issues.
- The patient experienced third-degree atrioventricular block and low cardiac output syndrome.
- Failure to capture pacemaker stimuli was also noted.
Findings:
- Autopsy revealed fibrofatty replacement of the right ventricle, confirming ARVD.
- This diagnosis in an octogenarian is highly unusual.
- This represents the oldest documented case of ARVD.
Implications:
- ARVD can present in advanced age, challenging typical diagnostic timelines.
- This case expands the known age spectrum for ARVD.
- Further research may be needed to understand late-onset ARVD presentations.
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