Sudden death in a normal heart. Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. Review of the literature concerning one case

Abstract

Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation is that which is produced in the absence of structural cardiac disease and of other identifiable causes of ventricular fibrillation such as cardiotoxicity, electrolytical alterations or hereditary predisposition. The case of a healthy male, aged 37, who was asymptomatic until the day he was admitted to hospital where he showed numerous episodes of ventricular fibrillation without any previous triggering, is discussed. In the examination no cause was found to explain this, and an automatic defibrillator was implanted. The requirements for its diagnosis, risk stratification and the usefulness of the tests employed, as well as the treatments proposed are discussed.