1. Department of Cardiology, Asahikawa Medical University, Midorigaoka Higashi 2-1-1, Asahikawa, 078-8510, Japan 2. Department of Cardiology, Asahikawa Red Cross Hospital, Asahikawa, Japan
Abstract:
We describe three cases of J-wave syndrome in which ventricular fibrillation (VF) was probably induced by corticosteroid therapy. The patients involved were being treated with prednisolone for concomitant bronchial asthma. One of the three patients had only one episode of VF during her long follow-up period (14 years). Two patients had hypokalemia during their VF episodes. Corticosteroids have been shown to induce various types of arrhythmia and to modify cardiac potassium channels. We discuss the possible association between corticosteroid therapy and VF in J-wave syndrome based on the cases we have encountered.