Determinants of simultaneous fast and slow pathway conduction in patients with dual atrioventricular nodal pathways

Am Heart J. 1985 May;109(5 Pt 1):963-70. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(85)90236-4.

Abstract

Double His bundle and ventricular responses to a single atrial impulse caused by a simultaneous fast and slow pathway conduction was observed during electrophysiologic study in three patients with dual-pathway atrioventricular nodal reentrant paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. In patient No. 1 this phenomenon occurred during rapid atrial pacing, in patient No. 2 during both rapid atrial pacing and delivery of a single atrial extrastimulus, and in patient No. 3 during delivery of double atrial extrastimuli. Retrograde unidirectional block in the slow pathway was suggested by retrograde induction of tachycardia at a long ventricular paced cycle length and/or long ventricular coupling interval in all three patients. Our findings suggest that major determinants of this phenomenon include: a sufficient conduction delay in the slow pathway so that the distal tissue is able to respond for the second time, and a retrograde unidirectional block in the slow pathway so that the fast pathway impulse will not enter and collide with the oncoming slow pathway impulse.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Atrioventricular Node / physiopathology*
  • Bundle of His / physiopathology
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial*
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Electrocardiography
  • Electrophysiology
  • Female
  • Heart Atria / physiopathology
  • Heart Conduction System / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Tachycardia / physiopathology
  • Time Factors