Relationship between serum potassium concentration and risk of recurrent ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation

Gregory F. Michaud, Christian Sticherling, Hiroshi Tada, Hakan Oral, Frank Pelosi, Bradley P. Knight, Fred Morady, S. Adam Strickberger*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction: Electrolyte abnormalities are considered a correctable cause of a life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia according to American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Practice Guidelines, and ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation in the setting of an electrolyte abnormality is considered a class III indication for defibrillator implantation. However, there are little data to support this recommendation. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of a recurrent sustained ventricular arrhythmia in patients with a low serum potassium concentration at the time of an initial episode of a sustained ventricular arrhythmia. Methods and Results: One hundred sixty-nine consecutive patients who presented with a sustained ventricular arrhythmia and a serum potassium concentration determined on the day of the arrhythmia underwent defibrillator implantation. All patients had structural heart disease and left ventricular ejection fraction of 0.32 ± 0.15. On the day of the index arrhythmia, 30% of the patients had a serum potassium concentration <3.5 or >5.0 mEq/L, including 7% who had a serum potassium concentration <3.0 or >6.0 mEq/L. For the entire cohort of patients, freedom from a recurrent sustained ventricular arrhythmia was 18% at 5 years and was not significantly different among patients with a serum potassium concentration <3.5 mEq/L (23%), between 3.5 and 5.0 mEq/L (16%), and >5.0 mEq/L (5%; P = 0.1). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that patients with structural heart disease and an abnormal serum potassium concentration at the time of an initial episode of sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation are at high risk for a recurrent ventricular arrhythmia; therefore, implantable defibrillator therapy may be reasonable.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1109-1112
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of cardiovascular electrophysiology
Volume12
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2001

Keywords

  • Arrhythmia recurrence
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Implantable defibrillator

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Physiology (medical)

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