TERMINATION OF REPERFUSION ARRHYTHMIA BY CORONARY-ARTERY OCCLUSION

Reperfusion arrhythmias may be a cause of sudden death in acute myocar dial infarction. A patient underwent successful coronary artery recana lisation by primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PT CA) for acute myocardial infarction. In this patient an idioventricula r rhythm with a severe haemodynamic effect developed within one minute of deflation of the PTCA balloon. Sinus rhythm was immediately restor ed by reinflating the balloon and thus reinterrupting the supply of ox ygenated blood. This suggests that reperfusion with consequent reoxyge nation is a primary factor in arrhythmogenesis.