Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome mimicking myocardial infarction: unmasking by means of rapid atrial pacing.
A patient is presented who had Q waves in Leads II, III, and aVF suggestive of inferior myocardial infarction. Despite a normal P-R interval, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was suspected because of an abnormal delta wave-type QRS configuration. By means of rapid atrial pacing the accessory pathway was blocked, and the QRS complex was temporarily normalized. The abnormal Q waves disappeared, removing the suspicion of infarction. Rapid atrial pacing is a simple procedure that is recommended for clarifying the electrocardiographic diagnosis when WPW syndrome is suspected.
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*