It can mimic various heart rhythm problems, including ventricular tachycardia, a potentially life-threatening fast heart beat from the bottom chamber of the heart. The results of the study demonstrate that when artifact is misdiagnosed as ventricular tachycardia, patients may undergo diagnostic or therapeutic procedures they otherwise would not need. The results are published in the October 21 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine . The interventions included intravenous injections of medications, heart catheterization, and in two cases, procedures as drastic as having a pacemaker or defibrillator implanted. In most cases, a correct diagnosis of artifact was made after patients were transferred to the University of Michigan for further evaluation of presumed ventricular tachycardia.
Ventricular tachycardia can lead to palpitations, loss of consciousness or death.
Since ventricular tachycardia often indicates a serious underlying structural heart disease, a very thorough evaluation is typically performed, including blood analysis, stress testing, echocardiography and angiography. One patient had a defibrillator implanted. Three patients received a diagnostic catheterization. One patient received a blood transfusion. One patient received intravenous nitroglycerin.