Résumé
The incidence of perioperative arrhythmias remains significant. Older studies report a 16–61% incidence [1, 2]. In more recent studies, Mangano et al. [3, 4] demonstrated that the occurrence of perioperative arrhythmias increases cardiac morbidity and mortality. This could be explained, at least in part, by the increase of major procedures in older patients, having various chronic diseases, and taking many medications. However, perioperative arrhythmias are most often benign. Indeed, in 1968, Vanik et al. [5] reported on 5000 patients anesthetized with halothane that less than 1% of perioperative arrhythmias induced major adverse outcome. The anesthesiologist is however sometimes confronted with serious sustained tachycardias. He must be able to assess the impact of the arrhythmia on the hemodynamic status to provide emergency treatment, and then to look for the cause to avoid immediate recurrence.