Arrhythmias During Upper Gastrointesintal Endoscopy

Abstract

Electrocardiographic monitoring of 52 consecutive patients undergoing up per gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed that arrhythmias during the procedures were common (38.5%) and tended to occur more frequently in the elderly (75%), in persons with heart disease (54.5%), and in persons with chronic lung disease (89%). The incidence of ventricular premature contractions in patient with no evidence of heart or lung disease was 19%. In one patient with ad vanced chronic lung disease, the procedure had to be terminated because of de velopment of high-degree atrioventricular block. A high incidence of arrhyth mias during endoscopy has not been previously reported in patients with chronic lung disease.