Abnormalities of cardiac rhythm and conduction can be lethal (sudden cardiac death), symptomatic (syncope, near syncope, dizziness, or palpitations), or asymptomatic. They are dangerous to the extent that they reduce cardiac output, so that perfusion of the brain or myocardium is impaired, or tend to deteriorate into more serious arrhythmias with the same consequences.

Stable supraventricular tachycardia is generally well tolerated in patients without underlying heart disease but may lead to myocardial ischemia or congestive heart failure in patients with coronary disease, valvular abnormalities, and systolic or diastolic myocardial dysfunction.

Ventricular tachycardia, if prolonged (lasting more than 10-30 seconds), often results in hemodynamic compromise and is more likely to deteriorate into ventricular fibrillation.

 
• Disturbances of rate and rhythm  
• Mechanisms of Arrhythmias  
• Techniques for evaluating Rhythm disturbances
   
  • Electrocardiographic Monitoring  
  • Heart Rate Variability  
  • Signal-Averaged ECG  
  • Electrophysiologic Testing  
  • Autonomic Testing (Tilt-Table Testing)  
  • Antiarrhythmic Drugs  
  • Radiofrequency Ablation for Cardiac Arrhythmias

         
   

• Supraventricular Arrhythmias
   

   
  • 1. Sinus Arrhythmia, Bradycardia, & Tachycardia  
  • 2. Atrial Premature Beats (Atrial Extrasystoles)  
  • 3. Differentiation of Aberrantly Conducted Supraventricular Beats from Ventricular Beats  
  • 4. Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia
       
    • Introduction    
    • Treatment of the Acute Attack    
    • Prevention of Attacks

     

  • 5. Supraventricular Tachycardias Due to Accessory Atrioventricular Pathways (Preexcitation Syndromes)
       

       
    • Pathophysiology & Clinical Findings    
    • Treatment

     

  • 6. Atrial Fibrillation
       

       
    • Introduction    
    • Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation    
    • Paroxysmal & Refractory Atrial Fibrillation

     

  • 7. Atrial Flutter
     

  • 8. Multifocal (Chaotic) Atrial Tachycardia
     

  • 9. Atrioventricular Junctional Rhythm

         
   

• Ventricular Arrhythmias
   

   
  • 1. Ventricular Premature Beats (Ventricular Extrasystoles)  
  • 2. Ventricular Tachycardia  
  • 3. Ventricular Fibrillation & Sudden Death  
  • 4. Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm  
  • 5. Long QT Syndrome
  Provided by ArmMed Media
  Revision date: July 9, 2011
  Last revised: by Jorge P. Ribeiro, MD