Neonatal arrhythmias, although rare in neonatal intensive care units, may occur as a result of various cardiovascular, systemic and metabolic problems. In this study we evaluated the incidence and the clinical characteristics of neonatal arrhythmias in our neonatal intensive care unit. During the period between January 1993 and December 2002 a total of 26 newborns with neonatal arrythmia were found, and the incidence of neonatal arrhythmia was found to be 0.7%. Of these 62.0% were term and 38.0% were preterm. Prenatal diagnosis was made in 46% of infants and prenatal therapy by maternal digitalization was applied in 6 (23%) cases. The association of neonatal arrhythmia with congenital heart malformations was identified in 23.1% of cases. The distribution of neonatal arrhythmias was as follows: 38.0% sinus bradycardia, 30.0% supraventricular tachycardia, 15.0% atrioventricular block, 3.8% Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, 3.8% supraventricular extrasystole, 3.8% ventricular extrasystole and 3.8% arrhytmia due to hyperkalemia. Fetal and neonatal arrhythmias are infrequent but serious cardiac disorders and they may coexist with various cardiac or non-cardiac diseases in newborns. Prenatal diagnosis and routine cardiorespiratory monitorization of newborns in neonatal intensive care units are essential as early recognition and treatment are very important.

Keywords: aritmi, yenidoğan, fetus, arrhythmia, newborn infant