Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia with Cardiac Sarcoidosis: Treatment with Low-Dose Metoprolol and Cibenzoline

A 38-year-old female had felt exertional dyspnea for six months. Physical examination and laboratory data, including angiotensin-converting enzyme, failed to diagnose sarcoidosis. Her chest X-ray showed cardiomegaly but no hilar lymph node enlargement. Holter ECG showed nonsustained and sustained ventricular tachycardias, monomorphic or polymorphic tachycardia. Echocardiography and contrast left ventriculography showed left ventricular dilatation and generalized hypo- and akinesis. Endomyocardial biopsy revealed myocardial sarcoidosis. Administration of corticosteroids, metoprolol of 20 mg/day and cibenzoline of 300 mg/day was markedly effective for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia. This patient is alive for one year after treatment and the combination therapy seems to contribute to good prognosis. (Internal Medicine 33: 296-299, 1994)