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Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and can deteriorate haemodynamic status. Case summary We report a case of a 77-year-old woman with cardiogenic shock due to paroxysmal AF, complicated with HCM and aortic stenosis. Atrial fibrillation was successfully managed with temporary atrial pacing and administration of nifekalant hydrochloride without invasive mechanical circulatory support until surgery. Septal myectomy, aortic valve replacement, and pulmonary vein isolation were performed. Discussion This case suggests that atrial pacing and nifekalant may be safe and effective for rhythm control.

Background: Although nifekalant hydrochloride (NIF) has been demonstrated to suppress ventricular tachyarrhythmias, especially electrical storms, the mechanism by which it does so is still unclear. We examined the effects of NIF on the spatial dispersion of repolarization (SDR) after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shock. Methods and Results: In 35 patients with oral amiodarone and β-blocker therapy, and an ICD, we recorded the 87-lead electrocardiogram during sinus rhythm (CONTROL-1 group) under general anesthesia, and just after the termination of induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) by ICD shock, with or without NIF administration. In all recordings, the corrected QT interval (QTc) was measured in each lead. The dispersion of QTc (QTc-D; maximum QTc minus minimum QTc) was also measured. Compared with that in the CONTROL-1 group, the QTc-D exhibited significant deterioration after ICD shock (61±14 and 90±19 ms1/2, respectively; p

Nifekalant hydrochloride is a novel class III antiarrythmic agent used especially for malignant VT/VF, which is resistant to electrical defibrillation and lidocaine. We previously reported that this agent restored the sinus rhythm from ventricular fibrillation more successfully than lidocaine. A 60-year-old female was transferred to the Emergency Medical Center of Tokai University Hospital because of cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. After several unsuccessful attempts at electrical defibrillation at the scene and the emergency room, we administrated nifekalant hydrochloride before lidocaine. With the infusion of nifekalant, the patient was successfully defibrillated. A 57-year-old female also admitted to our hospital with recurrent ventricular fibrillation that was resistant to electrical defibrillation. In situations of VT/VF resistance to electrical defibrillation, lidocaine has been used prior to nifekalant. However, we selected nifekalant first, with which the patient was successfully defibrillated. After the infusion of nifekalant hydrochloride, the sinus rhythm was restored. We concluded that nifekalant hydrochloride is especially effective for recurrent ventricular fibrillation and it should be administrated as early as possible.

An "electrical storm" is a life-threatening condition defined as a recurrent attack of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. The current report is a case study of a patient who had electrical storms developing unexpectedly after undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The electrical storms were terminated dramatically by the administration of nifekalant hydrochloride. We suggest that nifekalant hydrochloride has great therapeutic potential for the suppression of intractable ventricular tachyarrhythmias refractory to amiodarone.