Ventricular tachycardia with ECT.

A case is presented in which a patient with ischemic heart disease developed episodic, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) during electroconvulsive therapy for major depression. The VT had a frequency of 200 beats/min and ceased spontaneously after 17 s. Altered autonomic discharge in the presence of ischemia is the probable cause. Predisposing factors, as well as management considerations, are discussed.