Abstract
Background: Automaticity is the dominant mechanism in maternal focal atrial tachycardia (FAT) during pregnancy and if incessant, can cause tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. Medication failure for FATs is common, however, for the subgroup due to increased automaticity ivabradine sensitivity has been described and may represent a valuable treatment option. Little data are available regarding the safety profile of ivabradine during pregnancy. Case Summary: We report the case of a 38-year-old woman with background of peripartum cardiomyopathy and incessant atrial tachycardia with deteriorating ventricular function during her second pregnancy unresponsive to betablockade and demonstrating the immediate successful rate-controlling effect of ivabradine. Discussion: Early recognition of persistent maternal FAT is essential due to its frequent association with tachycardia-mediated cardiomyopathy. Our case report highlights the challenges of providing an equally safe and effective treatment of these notoriously difficult to treat arrhythmias during pregnancy. Ivabradine in combination with a betablocker can be effective for abnormal automaticity but its safety profile during pregnancy remains uncertain.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | ytab367 |
| Journal | European Heart Journal - Case Reports |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Oct 2021 |
Keywords
- Abnormal automaticity
- Case report
- Focal atrial tachycardia
- Ivabradine-sensitive atrial tachycardia
- Peripartum cardiomyopathy
- Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy
