Physician interpretation of electrocardiographic artifact that mimics ventricular tachycardia

Bradley P. Knight*, Frank Pelosi, Gregory F. Michaud, S. Adam Strickberger, Fred Morady

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients who are misdiagnosed with ventricular tachycardia because of electrocardiographic artifact may be subjected to unnecessary procedures. The purpose of this study was to determine how often electrocardiographic artifact is misdiagnosed as ventricular tachycardia. METHODS: Physicians (n = 766) were surveyed with a case simulation that included a two-lead electrocardiographic monitor tracing of artifact simulating a wide-complex tachycardia. RESULTS: The rhythm strip was not recognized as artifact by 52 of the 55 internists (94%), 128 of the 221 cardiologists (58%), and 186 of the 490 electrophysiologists (38%). One hundred fifty-six of the 181 electrophysiologists (88%), 67 of the 126 cardiologists (53%), and 14 of the 15 internists (31%) who misdiagnosed the rhythm as ventricular tachycardia recommended an invasive procedure for further evaluation or therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This physician survey suggests that electrocardiographic artifact that mimics ventricular tachycardia may frequently result in patients being subjected to unnecessary invasive cardiac procedures. Physicians should include artifact in their differential diagnosis of wide complex tachycardias to minimize unneeded procedures.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)335-338
Number of pages4
JournalAmerican journal of medicine
Volume110
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2001

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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