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Emerg Med J 2008;25:173-174 doi:10.1136/emj.2007.050849
  • Emergency casebooks

An unusual case of misdiagnosed ventricular tachycardia

  1. C J Boos,
  2. M Y Khan,
  3. S Thorne
  1. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
  1. Dr C Boos, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TH, UK; christopherboos{at}hotmail.com
  • Accepted 12 June 2007

Abstract

We present the case of a 71-year-old man, with known Parkinson’s disease and previous coronary artery bypass surgery, who presented with acute chest pain. His initial 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was unremarkable; however, a repeat 12 lead ECG during further chest pain suggested a ventricular tachycardia (VT) for which he was commenced on an intravenous amiodarone infusion. However, later analysis of his ECGs revealed that the apparent VT was, in fact, an artefact related to his parkinsonian tremor.

Footnotes

  • Informed consent was obtained for publication of the person’s details in this report.

  • Competing interests: None declared.

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