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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A New Single Chamber Implantable Defibrillator with Atrial Sensing: A Practical Demonstration of Sensing and Ease of Implantation
Published on: February 28, 2012
When an ICD is not the answer... hypothyroidism-induced cardiomyopathy and torsades de pointes
Christopher R Ellis1, Katherine T Murray
1Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
Introduction:
An increasing number of patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction are referred for placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).
Case Report:
A 78-year-old female with fatigue, palpitations, and presyncope was referred for consideration of an ICD because of a cardiomyopathy and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). Her evaluation revealed severe hypothyroidism, marked QT prolongation, and episodes of torsades de pointes. With levothyroxine therapy, her ventricular arrhythmias rapidly abated, with subsequent normalization of LV function and the QT interval.
Conclusions:
This report highlights the critical importance of detecting hypothyroidism as an unusual cause for reversible cardiomyopathy and ventricular arrhythmias.
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