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Management of arrhythmias in patients with a tetralogy of Fallot

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2014

Jamie A. Decker  and
Jeffrey J. Kim
Jamie A. Decker*
Affiliation:
Division of Pediatric Cardiology, All Children's Heart Institute, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
Jeffrey J. Kim
Affiliation:
Lillie Frank Abercrombie Section of Pediatric Cardiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States of America
*
Correspondence to: J. A. Decker, MD, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, All Children's Heart Institute, 601 5th Street South, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America. Tel: +1 727 767 3333; Fax: +1 727 767 8900; E-mail: jamie.decker@allkids.org
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Abstract

Although arrhythmias are commonly found in patients with all different types of congenital heart disease, perhaps no patient is at higher risk of late development of arrhythmias that may result in sudden death than in the patient following tetralogy of Fallot repair. Despite major improvement in the surgical repair of this disease, a significant percentage of these patients continue to remain at risk for the late development of arrhythmias, and a small percentage will develop life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden death. Which patients remain at highest risk is still not clearly delineated. Diligent arrhythmia surveillance and aggressive treatment strategies are necessary to minimise this risk. This article highlights important strategies to manage arrhythmia development and prevention in this patient population.

Keywords

Tetralogy of fallotsudden cardiac deatharrhythmiascongenital heart diseaseVT
Type
Original Article
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 23 , Issue 6: HeartWeek 2013 , December 2013 , pp. 888 - 895
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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