Prevalence and significance of ventriculoatrial conduction.
Because retrograde atrioventricular conduction may predispose to pacemaker-induced tachycardia when DDD pacing is employed, we assessed ventriculo-atrial conduction in 117 patients undergoing electrophysiologic studies. Ventriculo-atrial conduction was present in 40% with a mean (+/- sem) conduction time of 205 +/- 12 ms. The maximum VA conduction time following minimum extrastimulus intervals averaged 258 +/- 14 ms. Antegrade AV nodal properties predicted VA conduction in only 67% by using stepwise discriminant analysis. Only the PR interval, AH interval, and AV nodal effective refractory periods were helpful in predicting ventriculo-atrial conduction. Although ventriculo-atrial conduction time increased on most antiarrhythmic drugs, it was infrequently eliminated.
D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006327:Heart Block / Q000503:physiopathology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents