WPW FIRST MANIFESTING WITH SYNCOPE AND VENTRICULAR-FIBRILLATION DURING PREGNANCY - ROLE OF NEURAL REFLEXES

We report a unique well-documented case of WPW first manifestating wit h syncope and ventricular fibrillation occuring in a 28-year old young woman during her first pregnancy. Abnormal neural reflexes precipitat ing syncope during both sinus rhythm and induced supraventricular tach ycardia were elicited. A basal increased sympathetic tone usually occu ring during pregnancy and magnified at the onset of atrial fibrillatio n in all probability precipitated autonomic reflexes leading to syncop e and shortly after to ventricular fibrillation. The patient was succe ssfully treated by ablation procedure.