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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Tachycardia-Induced Cardiomyopathy As a Chronic Heart Failure Model in Swine
Published on: February 17, 2018
[Non-compacted cardiomyopathy: an uncommon cause of ventricular tachycardia]
T García-Paredes1, M D Fernández-Zamora, J Mora-Ordóñez
1Servicio Medicina Intensiva, Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Regional Universitario Carlos Haya, Málaga.
Insights
Non-compaction cardiomyopathy (NCC) is a rare heart condition often underdiagnosed. This case highlights its importance in the differential diagnosis for patients with hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a common diagnosis.
- Sustained ventricular tachycardia necessitates thorough cardiac evaluation.
Observation:
- A patient with prior hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diagnosis presented with sustained ventricular tachycardia.
- Coronary angiography revealed normal epicardial arteries.
- Ventriculography demonstrated dilated cardiomyopathy with prominent left ventricular trabeculation.
Findings:
- Transthoracic echocardiography confirmed non-compaction cardiomyopathy (NCC).
- Key echocardiographic findings included a dilated and hypertrophic left ventricle, severely reduced systolic function, and a thickened, non-compacted endocardium with prominent trabeculations and recesses.
- NCC was suggested by ventricular patterns and confirmed by echocardiography.
Implications:
- Non-compaction cardiomyopathy is likely underdiagnosed due to limited awareness.
- NCC should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy.
- Further research is needed to improve understanding and diagnosis of NCC.
Abstract:
We present the case of a patient who was previously diagnosed of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The patient was admitted to our coronary unit due to a sustained ventricular tachycardia picture. A coronariography was performed as part of the ventricular tachycardia study protocol. It showed angiographically normal epicardic arteries. In the ventriculography, there was a pattern of dilated cardiomyopathy with prominent left ventricular trabeculation, which suggested the diagnosis of non-compacted cardiomyopathy (NCC). The findings of the transthoracic echocardiography, that showed a dilated and hypertrophic left ventricle, with very depressed systolic function, and ventricular myocardium with a thick internal non-compacted endocardium, with a meshwork of multiple trabeculations and intracardic recesses in communication with the ventricular cavity, confirmed this diagnosis. There continues to be little knowledge on NCC and thus it is probably underdiagnosed. It must be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients diagnosed of hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy.
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