[Ventricular arrhythmias in patients with cor pulmonale]

This paper reported the results of 24 hours continuous ECG, day time and overnight arterial blood gas/pH and serum electrolytes in 20 patients with cor pulmonale, in order to investigate the rule of changes of ventricular arrhythmias (VA). The results were as follows: (1) Incidence of VA in 24 hours Holter Monitoring was 100%. (2) Frequent VPBs were increased significantly in period of acute attack (40%, P less than 0.05). (3) Non-sustained VT in the nocturnal (40%) was more than the day time in period of attack (P less than 0.05). (4) Relationship between VA and variables in period of attack: PaCO2 (r = 0.90) greater than arterial blood pH (r = -0.87) greater than PaO2 (r = -0.63); in relieved period VA were only related to serum potassium (r = -0.86). The authors speculated the severity of VA in period of attack was related with worse of arterial blood gas/pH, cardiac dysfunction and compensated enhance of sympathetic activity. It seems that the view accorded with theory of Yin-Yang in TCM.