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Pre-excitation syndrome

Heart disorder in which the cardiac ventricles activate too early


Heart disorder in which the cardiac ventricles activate too early

FieldValue
namePre-excitation syndrome
imageRLS 12blauLeg.png
captionElectrical conduction system of the heart (accessory pathways not shown){{ordered liststyle=text-align: left;
1Sinoatrial node
2Atrioventricular node
3Bundle of His
4Left bundle branch
5Left anterior fascicle
6Left-posterior fascicle
7Left ventricle
8Ventricular septum
9Right ventricle
10Right bundle branch
fieldCardiology

Pre-excitation syndrome is a heart condition in which part of the cardiac ventricles are activated too early. Pre-excitation is caused by an abnormal electrical connection or accessory pathway between or within the cardiac chambers. Pre-excitation may not cause any symptoms but may lead to palpitations caused by abnormal heart rhythms. It is usually diagnosed using an electrocardiogram, but may only be found during an electrophysiological study. The condition may not require any treatment at all, but symptoms can be controlled using medication or catheter ablation.

Types

Several types of pre-excitation syndrome have been described.

TypeConduction pathwayPR intervalQRS intervalDelta wave
Wolff–Parkinson–White syndromeBundle of Kent (atria to ventricles)shortlongyes
Lown–Ganong–Levine syndrome"James bundle" (atria to bundle of His)shortnormalno
Mahaim-typeMahaim fibersnormallongno

Pathophysiology

Normally, the atria and the ventricles are electrically isolated, and electrical contact between them exists only at the "atrioventricular node". In all pre-excitation syndromes, at least one more conductive pathway is present. Physiologically, the normal electrical depolarization wave is delayed at the atrioventricular node to allow the atria to contract before the ventricles. However, there is no such delay in the abnormal pathway, so the electrical stimulus passes to the ventricle by this tract faster than via normal atrioventricular/bundle of His system, and the ventricles are depolarized (excited) before (pre-) normal conduction system.

References

References

  1. (2002). "Handbook of cardiac electrophysiology : a practical guide to invasive EP studies and catheter ablation". ReMEDICA Pub.
  2. Josephson, Mark E.. (2015-08-10). "Josephson's clinical cardiac electrophysiology : techniques and interpretations".
  3. "General principles of asynchronous activation and preexcitation".
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