Browse the corpus

A 54-year-old woman with premature ventricular complexes and a rapidly changing ECG. Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are common findings in asymptomatic participants during ECG recordings. While most PVCs are treated conservatively, some patients may develop adverse cardiac events needing further investigations and definitive ablation by radiofrequency. Spectral strain ultrasonography has demonstrated ventricular dysfunction as a sequel to high burden PVCs, but the exact underlying pathophysiology is still uncertain. Cohort studies have associated PVCs with increased risks for overall cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and yet consensus is still lacking for threshold in treating PVCs. Our case is that of a 54-year-old woman with an unusual bradycardiac presentation of PVCs and an ECG that changed rapidly within minutes.