CPVT: Difference between revisions

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The resting ECG in CPVT is normal. However, there is a progressive ventricular ectopy as heart rate increases during exercise or isoproterenol infusion. Both the frequency and the complexity of the ventricular ectopy increase with the work load. It generally starts with monomorphic premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) and is followed bigemini and subsequently more complex arrhythmias, including doublets triplets, bidirectional ventricular tachycardia to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Most of the times, the arrhythmia is self-limiting. However, in some patients, especially if exercise is continued, repeated polymorphic VTs can deteriorate in ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death.

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CPVT is caused by mutations in genes involved in the calcium homeostasis of cardiac cells. Four disease-causing genes have been identified: the ryanodine<cite>ryanodine</cite> receptor 2 gene (RyR2) (60%), the cardiac calsequestrin 2 gene (CASQ2) (1-2%), the calmodulin gene (CALM1) (<1%) and the TRDM gene (<1%). Mutant RyR2 channels have a gain-of-function effect, resulting in excessive calcium release during sympathetic activation. Mutant CASQ2 causes loss of buffering capacity for calcium of the sarcoplasmatic reticulum. The mutations cause excessive calcium in the myocyte cytosol generating depolarizing membrane currents, which in turn lead to delayed afterdepolarizations and cardiac arrhythmias.