Find in Library

Psychiatric patients often present with symptoms similar to those indicating the need for a cardiac rhythm management device or even cardiac arrhythmia ablation. However, due to the unreliability of symptom self-reporting, the ability of the underlying neuropsychiatric condition to elicit similar phenomena, and the perceived reduced compliance and increased complication rates among this population, both of the above approaches remain underutilized with often detrimental effects. In the present case series, it is attempted to describe an alternative, electrophysiology study-guided approach to these patients, aiming to both firmly establish the need for invasive intervention (including implantation of pacemakers – three cases, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators – three cases, and electrophysiological ablations – two cases), as well as dispel preconceptions, bordering on stigma, regarding their outcomes.