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Cardiac arrhythmias as presenting symptoms in patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
Insights
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy can cause serious heart rhythm problems like arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy. Early recognition of this muscle disorder is crucial for patients presenting with unexplained cardiac issues.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Genetics
Background:
- Muscular dystrophies frequently impact cardiac function, affecting prognosis.
- Cardiac involvement in muscular dystrophy can manifest as arrhythmias or cardiomyopathy.
Abstract:
Clinically manifest muscular dystrophy is often accompanied by functional and anatomic derangements in the myocardium which often have prognostic significance. We describe two young patients who had unrecognized limb-girdle muscular dystrophy who presented with cardiac arrhythmia. One developed dilated cardiomyopathy complicated by ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The other patient had atrial paralysis requiring permanent pacing. It is important to consider the possibility of underlying muscular dystrophy in patients who present with cardiac arrhythmia without an obvious cause.