Ventricular Tachycardia in Valvular Heart Disease

Abstract

Myocardial VT was the most common type of inducible SMVT in patients with valvular heart disease. The majority of these patients had underlying coronary artery disease and significant left ventricular dysfunction. However, in almost one third of the patients, sustained BBR VT was the only type of inducible SMVT. This type of VT was facilitated by the valve procedure occurring within 4 weeks after surgery in most patients. In these patients, left ventricular function was relatively well preserved, and the right bundle-branch block type of BBR was frequently induced. Because a curative therapy can be offered to these patients (ie, bundle-branch ablation), BBR should be seriously considered as the mechanism of VT in patients with valvular heart disease, particularly if the arrhythmia occurs soon after valve surgery.