Ventricular Tachycardia in Infancy

Abstract

VENTRICULAR tachycardia in infancy and childhood is rare. Review of the English literature for the past 35 years discloses only 25 examples in patients under 15 years of age. Only three of these occurred in the first year of life. This report concerns a case of ventricular tachycardia in an infant with cyanotic congenital heart disease and successful treatment of the problem with procainamide and diphenylhydantoin. Report of a Case A white female infant, was admitted to the Pediatric Service at age 3 months with severe lethargy, marked cyanosis, and respiratory distress. The patient was born prematurely at another hospital after a six-month gestation. Birth weight was 1,134 gm (2½ lbs). She remained in the Newborn Nursery for approximately two months with several episodes of apnea during the first two weeks of life. A cardiac murmur was discovered at 2 days of age and evaluation at the time suggested the