title: Usefulness and limitations of the surface electrocardiogram in the classification of right and left atrial flutter.
abstract: Atrial flutter is a common arrhythmia that may cause significant symptoms, including palpitations, dyspnoea, chest pain and even syncope. Frequently, it is possible to diagnose atrial flutter with a 12-lead surface electrocardiogram (ECG), looking for distinctive waves in leads II, III, aVF, aVL, V1 and V2. Puech and Waldo developed the first classification of atrial flutter in the 1970s. These authors divided the dysrhythmia into types I and II. Therefore, in 2001, the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology developed a new classification of atrial flutter based not only on the ECG, but also on the electrophysiological mechanism. More recently, Scheinman and colleagues have provided an updated classification and nomenclature. Terms such as common, uncommon, typical, reverse typical or atypical flutter are abandoned, because they may generate confusion. The authors worked out a new terminology, which differentiates atrial flutter only on the basis of electrophysiological mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Ospedale Maggiore, Crema, Italy. g.inama@hcrema.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Inama
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pedrinazzi
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Durin
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agricola
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gazzaniga
mesh_terms: D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000145:classification* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans