Incessant infant ventricular tachycardia

What it is

From: Orphanet

Incessant infant ventricular tachycardia is a rare type of ventricular tachycardia (VT) characterized by the presence of tachycardia originating from the ventricles, observed for more than 10% of a 24 hour monitoring period. Patients are either asymptomatic or present congestive heart failure.

Reported clinical features and what the terms mean

The following findings are associated with this condition in Orphanet. They are not a checklist for diagnosing yourself, and they do not all occur in every affected person. Some are examination, imaging or laboratory findings that cannot be recognised at home.

The frequency labels describe how often a finding was reported among people with the condition in the source. They do not give the chance that a person with that symptom has the condition. Definitions below reproduce HPO terminology; they explain the term, not the likely severity in an individual.

Abnormal P wave · Very frequent (99-80%)

Any anomaly of the P wave of the EKG, which results from atrial depolarization. The P wave occurs when the sinoatrial node creates an action potential that depolarizes the atria.

Bundle branch block · Very frequent (99-80%)

Block of conduction of electrical impulses along the Bundle of His or along one of its bundle branches.

Cardiac arrest · Very frequent (99-80%)

An abrupt loss of heart function.

Congestive heart failure · Very frequent (99-80%)

The presence of an abnormality of cardiac function that is responsible for the failure of the heart to pump blood at a rate that is commensurate with the needs of the tissues or a state in which abnormally elevated filling pressures are required for the heart to do so. Heart failure is frequently related to a defect in myocardial contraction.

Prolonged QRS complex · Very frequent (99-80%)

Increased time for the complex comprised of the Q wave, R wave, and S wave as measured by the electrocardiogram (EKG).. In adults, normal values are 0.06 - 0.10 sec.

Ventricular tachycardia · Obligate (100%)

A tachycardia originating in the ventricles characterized by rapid heart rate (over 100 beats per minute) and broad QRS complexes (over 120 ms).

Cardiac rhabdomyoma · Frequent (79-30%)

A benign tumor of cardiac striated muscle.

Histiocytoid cardiomyopathy · Frequent (79-30%)

A type of cardiomyopathy characterized pathologically by hamartomatous lesions of cardiac Purkinje cells.

Prenatal movement abnormality · Frequent (79-30%)

An abnormality of fetal movement.

Supraventricular tachycardia · Frequent (79-30%)

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is an abnormally increased heart rate (over 100 beats per minute at rest) with origin above the level of the ventricles.

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome · Occasional (29-5%)

A disorder of the cardiac conduction system of the heart characterized by ventricular preexcitation due to the presence of an abnormal accessory atrioventricular electrical conduction pathway.

When it may begin

From: Orphanet

Childhood; Infancy

Inheritance in the source

From: Orphanet

Not applicable

Frequency and the population described

From: Orphanet

Prevalence at birth: 1-9 / 100 000; Europe; Value and class. Point prevalence: 1-9 / 100 000; Europe; Class only. Prevalence at birth: 1-9 / 1 000 000; United Kingdom; Value and class. Point prevalence: 1-9 / 1 000 000; United Kingdom; Class only.

Which doctor should you see?

The suggested department for discussing Incessant infant ventricular tachycardia is Cardiology, with a cardiologist as the relevant type of clinician. General physician / Family Medicine; paediatrician for children. Referral depends on symptoms.

This is an editorial referral starting point. The appropriate clinic depends on the person’s age, symptoms, previous diagnosis and local services. The first clinician can decide whether another specialty or a team is needed; a department label does not confirm the diagnosis.

How to prepare for an assessment

Bring a short timeline of the main symptoms: when they first appeared, whether they are constant or episodic, what seems to change them, and how they affect daily activities. Include previous reports, discharge summaries, current medicines and supplements, allergies, and any relevant family history. A dated record is more useful than trying to match every feature in an online article.

Ask the clinician what is already established and what remains uncertain. If a test is suggested, ask what question it answers, what its limitations are and how the result would change the next step. The information here is not an instruction to arrange every possible test. In children, bring growth, developmental and school information if it is relevant to the concern.

• Is the main concern heart structure, rhythm, circulation or another cause?
• Which symptoms should change the timing of follow-up?
• How would a proposed investigation change the care plan?

Treatment discussions and follow-up

The material gathered for this draft does not provide a complete condition-specific treatment pathway for Incessant infant ventricular tachycardia. That gap does not mean that treatment is unavailable. A clinician needs to establish the diagnosis and review current guidance before recommending medicines, procedures, rehabilitation or other support.

Before leaving the appointment, clarify the next review date, who will communicate results, and whom to contact if the situation changes. Discuss difficulties with sleep, work, school, mobility, eating or emotional wellbeing when these are relevant. Practical support may require coordination between the treating clinician and other services.

The collected references do not establish a complete prevention or long-term outlook section for this entry. Missing information should not be interpreted as proof that prevention is impossible or that a particular outcome is inevitable. Ask what is known for the exact subtype, stage and personal circumstances, and which uncertainties remain.

When to seek emergency help

Severe breathing difficulty, collapse, new stroke-like symptoms, a seizure that is prolonged or repeated without recovery, uncontrolled major bleeding, or an immediate risk of self-harm require emergency help. In India, call 112 or reach the nearest emergency department. This is a general, non-exhaustive warning list; it is not a condition-specific triage tool.