Sudden death due to atrial fibrillation in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a predictable event in a young patient

This case refers to a 39-year-old woman with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and family history of sudden death (SD). In 1985, high rate atrial stimulation induced VF. In 1996 an ICD was implanted and she remained without arrhythmic events until November 2000 when the device reported one episode of atrial fibrillation degenerating into VF and terminated by the ICD. The VF induction mechanism recorded by the ICD was similar to that observed in 1985. The high incidence of atrial tachyarrhythmias in HCM renders cases like this at higher risk of SD. The predictive role of incremental atrial stimulation merits highlighting in future studies