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(Circulation. 1971;43:520.)
© 1971 American Heart Association, Inc.

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Ventricular Fibrillation

A Possible Mechanism of Sudden Death in Patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

LEONARD S. DREIFUS M.D.¹; ROBERT HAIAT M.D.¹; YOSHIO WATANABE M.D.¹; JAIME ARRIAGA M.D.¹; NORMAN REITMAN M.D.¹

¹ From the Division of Cardiology, Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Middlesex General Hospital, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

A case of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome associated with ventricular fibrillation is presented. The control of recurrent ventricular fibrillation with large doses of digitalis and other antiarrhythmic drugs, including propranolol, lidocaine, procainamide, and quinidine, is discussed. As far as we can determine, this is the first human case in which the precise onset of ventricular fibrillation was documented. Possible mechanisms are presented that may produce ventricular fibrillation in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome associated with atrial flutter or fibrillation.

Key Words: Pre-excitation • Electronic demand pacemaker • Ventricular vulnerability • Atrial fibrillation • Wolff-Parkinson-White tachycardia

Submitted on August 26, 1970
Accepted on December 16, 1970

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