Tachycardia
Tachycardia is defined as an increase in the heart rate above normal. One form is known as sinus tachycardia which occurs normally with exercise or excitement. Episodes of tachycardia may also be due to illness, such as fever. Another type is supraventricular (SVT) tachycardia which is usually due to an accessory conduction pathway between the atria and ventricles but sometimes stem from an abnormal area in the atria. The third kind is known as ventricular (VT) tachycardia which stem from an abnormal focus of electrical activity in the ventricles and can result in a sudden drop in blood pressure or cardiac arrest. These three are the major common types of tachycardia commonly encountered in the clinical setting (“Tachycardia”).
However, there are also variances and much rarer forms of tachycardia as expressed in a recent Cardiovascular Week news article in which a study conducted by H. Ali et al. provided new data on tachycardia, most especially in the type known as permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia (PJRT). In the said research, H. Ali and colleagues were able to gain insight in a rare anatomical location of PJRT. The insight was gained from the successful ablation of a 25-year-old woman with drug-refractory permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia (PJRT). The authors used conventional radiofrequency at the left anteroseptal region using a transseptal approach with a slowly conducting accessory pathway to confirm the diagnosis of orthodromic atrioventricular reentry tachycardia.
Ali and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology (An unusual case of permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia: Successful ablation at the mitral annulus-aorta junction. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology, 2008;23(3):213-217).
Works Cited
“tachycardia.” A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 22 Apr. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
ARTICLE http://www.newsrx.com/library/topics/Tachycardia/59941.html
Tachycardia: Studies from H. Ali et al have provided new data on tachycardia
This article was published in Cardiovascular Week
2009 JAN 12 — “A 25-year-old woman with drug-refractory permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia (PJRT) and a previous failed ablation, was referred to our institution,” investigators in Milan, Italy report.
“Electrophysiological study confirmed the diagnosis of orthodromic atrioventricular reentry tachycardia using a slowly conducting accessory pathway. This accessory pathway was successfully ablated by conventional radiofrequency at the left anteroseptal region using a transseptal approach,” wrote H. Ali and colleagues.
The researchers concluded: “Catheter ablation of this accessory pathway (Coumel type) at the mitral annulus-aorta junction offers insights on a rare anatomical location of PJRT.”
Ali and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology (An unusual case of permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia: Successful ablation at the mitral annulus-aorta junction. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology, 2008;23(3):213-217).
For additional information, contact R. Cappato, IRCCS, Policinico San Donato, Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Center, Via Morandi 30, I-20097 Milan, Italy.
The publisher of the Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology can be contacted at: Springer, Van Godewijckstraat 30, 3311 Gz Dordrecht, Netherlands.
Keywords: Italy, Milan, Angiology, Cardiology, Electrophysiology, Physiology, Tachycardia.
This article was prepared by Cardiovascular Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Cardiovascular Week via NewsRx.com.