Tachycardia: Difference between revisions

1,589 bytes added ,  29 December 2011
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====Management:====
====Management:====
Termination is possible by vagal manoeuvres (blowing on the wrist, carotid sinus massage) or medication (adenosine, verapamil, diltiazem). If manoeuvres or medication fails electrocardioversion can be performed.
Termination is possible by vagal manoeuvres (blowing on the wrist, carotid sinus massage) or medication (adenosine, verapamil, diltiazem). If manoeuvres or medication fails electrocardioversion can be performed.
===AV Nodal Re-entry Tachycardia (AVNRT)===
====Pathophysiology:====
AVRT are tachycardias with a re-entry circuit compromising the entire heart. Atria, AV-node, ventricle and an extra bundle are an essential part of this circuit. The pre-requisite of an AVRT is the existence of an extra bundle between the atria and ventricle. This bundle can bypass the AV-node.
The following bundles exist:
* Bundle of Kent: A connection between atria and ventricles most often located on the lateral side of the atria\ventricles.
* Lown-Ganong-Levine bundle: A connection between the atria and the bundle of His, effectively bypassing the AV-node.
* Maheim-Bundle: A connection between AV conduction system and ventricles with AV-like conduction properties.
Depending on the conduction characteristics of the bundle and the direction of conduction two different AVRT circuits can manifest:
* Orthodrome AV re-entry tachycardia: The impulse travels through the normal conduction system and returns to the atria via the accessory bundle.
* Antidrome AV re-entry tachycardia: The impulse travels antrograde through the accessory bundle and activates the ventricles. The impulse returns through the normal conduction system to the atria.
====Clinical diagnosis:====
* Orthodrome AV re-entry tachycardia: There is a P-wave (other morphology than sinus rhythm) followed by small QRS-complex
* Antidrome AV re-entry tachycardia: The tachycardia resembles a broad-complex tachycardia and is follow by a retrograde P-wave originating from the AV-node.
====Management:====
Anti-arrhythmic drugs or ablation


==AVRT==
==AVRT==
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