Incessant Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia Associated With Pneumococcal Meningitis : A Case Report

The interconnection between the central nervous system(CNS)and heart was first described in 1903.Electrocardiographic(ECG)changes and arrhythmias are frequent complications in patients with cerebral injury.Increased plasma concentrations of catecholamines may result in tachyarrhythmias, whereas enhanced vagal activity can cause sinus bradycardia and atrioventricular block. Among the cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular tachycardia (VT)accounts for 2% of the rhythm disturbances in patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage.The vasocardiac reflexes from the circle of Willis and diffuse cerebral dysfunction may be possible factors causing ECG changes in patients with pyogenic meningitis.We report a case of an incessant monomorphic VT in a patient with pneumococcal meningitis associated with a marked increase in the intracranial pressure.