title: Woldemar Mobitz and His 1924 classification of second-degree atrioventricular block.
abstract: Woldemar Mobitz, an early 20th century German internist, analyzed arrhythmias by graphing the relationship of changing atrial rates and premature beats to AV conduction. Through an astute mathematical approach, he was able to classify second-degree atrioventricular block into 2 types, subsequently referred to as Mobitz type I (Wenckebach) and Mobitz type II (Hay). Type I AV block was most often due to digitalis and was reversible. There were no associated pathological findings. Type II AV block frequently progressed to complete AV block and was associated with seizures, death, and pathological findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga, USA. marksil@comcast.net
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Upshaw
authors.forename: Helmut W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lange
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002309:Cardiology / Q000266:history*; D004071:Digitalis Glycosides / Q000009:adverse effects; D018450:Disease Progression; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006327:Heart Block / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history* / Q000473:pathology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D012426:Russia
chemical_list: D004071:Digitalis Glycosides