title: [Heart rate and refractoriness of accessory A-V- pathways (author's transl)].
abstract: In 20 patients with WPW-syndrome, the effective refractory periods of accessory A-V conduction were measured by programmed atrial stimulation during His-bundle electrography. The effects of basic heart rate on this parameter were evaluated. Three groups of patients were distinguished: A) The effective refractory periods of accessory A-V conduction were clearly longer than the effective refractory periods of the right atrium in 12 patients. In these patients, acceleration of heart rate shortened the effective refractory period of accessory A-V conduction. Refractoriness of accessory A-V conduction was a linear function of cycle length. B) Block of accessory A-V conduction occured at a rather long basic cycle length in three patients. No rate dependency of refractoriness could be evaluated. Methodical problems regarding the determination of effective refractory period of accessory A-V conduction were discussed. The significance of the parameter in question in respect to the trigger mechanism of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias (echozone) and the ventricular rate during atrial tachycardias were demonstrated.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002036:Bundle of His / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000503:physiopathology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000503:physiopathology; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*
vernacular_title: Herzfrequenz und Refraktärverhalten akzessorischer Leitungsbahnen.