Parkinson's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Parkinson's Disease, including details on symptoms, treatment, genetics, medication.

An unusual case of misdiagnosed ventricular tachycardia.

Boos CJ, Khan MY, Thorne S

Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TH, UK. christopherboos@hotmail.com

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.

Published 26 February 2008 in Emerg Med J, 25(3): 173-4.
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