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The initial step in management of all patients with
tachycardia is to evaluate for hemodynamic instability:
Is the patient experiencing signs and symptoms
related to the rapid heart rate?
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Narrow or Wide Complex?
< 120 msec = narrow
> 120 msec = wide
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SVT with aberrancy:
Widening of the QRS complex due to
delayed or blocked conduction in the His-
Purkinje system, ie preexisting or rate-
dependent RBBB or LBBB with
superimposed sinus or atrial tachycardia,
Afib/flutter
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I. Wide Complex Tachycardia
Is it VT or SVT with aberrancy?
VT is most common cause of WCT, up to 80%1-4
When evaluating the patient with WCT, cannot
exclude VT due to presence of hemodynamic
stability
Misdiagnosis of VT as SVT and subsequent use of
AV nodal blocking agents (CCBs, beta blockers,
adenosine) may precipitate VF – ie, coronary steal
due to adenosine
DC cardioversion is treatment of choice for unstable
WCTs
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How do we differentiate between VT and SVT with
aberrancy?
History is important:
Presence of structural heart disease, especially
previous MI strongly suggestive of VT (greater
than 98% in one report5).
Age: greater than 35, more likely VT – PPV 85%;
under 35 more likely SVT – PPV 70%6.
Is there a history of arrhythmia, or is the patient on
antiarrhythmic or other cardiac meds?
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Physical Exam:
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ECG
Brugada criteria:
An algorithm for the diagnosis of VT, most commonly
used method7.
Overall 98.7% sensitivity and 96.5% specific for VT8.
Algorithms for VT tend to misclassify SVT with
preexcitation (accessory pathway-mediated) as VT,
but preexcitation is an uncommon cause of WCT (6%
in one series8).
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Brugada Criteria7
1. Absence of an RS complex in all precordial leads?
- Yes: VT – sensitivity 21%, specificity 100% No: proceed to next question
3. AV dissociation*?
- Yes: VT – sensitivity 82%, specificity 98% No: proceed to next question
* AV dissociation:
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R to S interval
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Brugada Criteria Algorithm7
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Morphology Criteria9
Features Favoring VT: Features Favoring SVT
w/Aberrancy:
RBBB pattern:
Monophasic R or Biphasic qR, QR, RBBB pattern:
or RS in V1 Triphasic rSR’ in V1
S > R or QS in V6 Triphasic rSR’ in V6
R > S in V6
LBBB pattern:
LBBB pattern:
Broad R wave or wide RS length (
> 30 msec in V1 or V2) No R in V1
Notched downstroke of S wave in Small narrow R in V2
V1 or V2 No slurring of S wave downstroke
> 60 msec to nadir of S in V1 or V2 Monophasic R in V6
qR or QS pattern in V6 Presence of septal Q in I and V6
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Features Favoring VT:
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II. Narrow Complex Tachycardia:
The narrow complex tachycardias, aka “PSVT”:
Sinus Tachycardia (ST)
Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia (IST)
Sinoatrial Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia (SNRT)
Atrial Tachyardia (AT)
Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia (MAT)*
Atrial Fibrillation (AF)*
Atrial Flutter (AFl)*
Junctional ectopic Tachycardia (JeT)
Junctional Tachycardia (JT)
Permanent Junctional Reciprocating Tachycardia (PJRT)
Nonparoxysmal Junctional Tachycardia (NPJT)
Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia (AVNRT)
Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia (AVRT)
* AF, AFl, and MAT are PSVTs, but commonly classified as separate group
* Reentry is the most common cause of narrow complex tachycardia; increased
automaticity and triggered activity occur less frequently10.
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Initial Evaluation of Narrow Complex Tachycardias
Rate may be too fast to identify, can try the following to slow the rate:
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II. Adenosine
Can be diagnostic and therapeutic in rhythms that depend on
AV node, ie AVNRT, AVRT
6 mg IV followed by 12 mg through peripheral lines, or 1 mg
then 3 mg through CVC
Transient asystole a “rare side effect”
Common side effects include facial flushing (18%), palpitations,
CP, hypotension
Effects blunted in patients on theophylline, and accentuated in
the denervated heart
If using in pts suspected of having WPW, have defibrillator
ready (not recommended)
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When evaluating a narrow complex tachycardia, assess regularity
of rhythm
Irregular:
AF = irregularly irregular, no identifiable P waves, atrial rate
350-600 impulses/min, irregularly irregular ventricular response
of 90-170 bpm, or higher if slick AV node. Coarse AF or
prominent U waves may give the appearance of P waves
MAT = irregularly irregular, at least 3 distinct P wave
morphologies, varying P-P, R-R, and PR intervals. Typically
seen in elderly pts w/advanced pulmonary disease
AFl with block = Mobitz Type I 2nd degree AV block
(Wenckebach) can look like AF because it’s irregular, but w/
pattern of grouped beats typical of Wenckebach
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Regular:
P Waves Indiscernible:
- Most commonly AVNRT, but can also be AF, AVRT, JT11.
- JT arises from discrete focus within AV node or His bundle
- JT thought to be enhanced automaticity, not reentry
- JT seen with AMI, dig toxicity, myocarditis, or post-op due to
AV nodal injury
- Atrial activity usually retrograde, but AV dissociation can occur
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Atrial Flutter (AFl)
Flutter has an easily identifiable classic appearance: P waves exhibit classic
sawtooth pattern
Atrial rate > 250 bpm almost always flutter (cannot measure atrial rate in AF on
ECG)
- Ventricular rate of exactly 150 should be considered flutter until proven otherwise
Macroreentrant atrial rhythm with reentry circuit involving large area of atrial
myocardium, with most common circuit around tricuspid annulus
Atrial tissue between IVC and tricuspid annulus is called the isthmus, and RFA
of this region has >90% cure rate
Typical A:V ratio is 2:1, with atrial rate of 300 in typical flutter
Even ratios more common, ie 2:1 or 4:1 - beta blockers and CCBs can cause
this
Classic/typical flutter is a counter-clockwise reentrant loop, with negative
sawtooth waves in leads II, III, and AVF; most common form of AFl
- Atypical flutter is a clockwise reentrant loop, with positive sawtooth waves in
inferior leads, usually slower atrial (and ventricular) rate
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Typical Counter-Clockwise AFl
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Typical Atrial Flutter
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RFA
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Once the rhythm is sufficiently slowed, we must further
examine the P waves for characterization of atrial activity.
I. Atrial rate
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P Wave Morphology:
Obtain old sinus ECG – if P wave is identical, then ST, IST, SNRT
ST – rate usually 100-180 bpm, can be > 200 in young hearts (remember
220-age)
- Normal P wave morphology: axis of 0 to 90 degrees, ie upright in I, II, and
AVF
- A:V ratio always 1:1
IST - chronic nonparoxysmal sinus tachycardia
- Unusual condition, cause unknown, thought to be abnormal autonomic
control
- Occurs in patients w/out apparent heart disease or physiologic cause for
ST
SNRT -
- Uncommon, < 5% of EP referrals12.
- Rate 100-150
- Distinguised from ST by abrupt onset and termination
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Abnormal P Wave Morphology:
If clearly different from sinus P, and RP > PR, likely some form of AT
Can also occur in atypical AVNRT and AVRT w/slowly conducting
accessory pathway, aka PJRT
AT:
-Regular w/rate 100-250 bpm
- Originating in atria outside of sinus node
- Often difficult to distinguish from sinus if close to sinus node
- Etiology: automatic, triggered, or reentrant
- Termination of the tachycardia with a QRS complex more common in
AT
- Not always 1:1 conduction, especially if atrial rate rapid and AV
conduction slow
- AT with block – seen with digitalis toxicity
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Retrograde P Wave and Short RP:
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AVNRT
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AVRT
AVRT (orthodromic):
Also known as AV reciprocating tachycardia
Antegrade conduction occurs down AV node,
resulting in ventricular activation, then
retrograde atrial activation occurs later through
AV bypass tract
Retrograde P wave follows QRS, usually in ST
segment
Classic example is WPW, which is AVRT in
opposite direction – down node, up the
accessory pathway
AVRT (antidromic):
Antegrade conduction occurs through AV
bypass tract and retrograde conduction occurs
through AV node
This results in a wide complex tachycardia
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Orthodromic AVRT (WPW)
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Orthodromic AVRT (WPW)
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Retrograde P Wave and Long RP:
Long RP = P wave may appear nearer to the following QRS complex, so that
RP interval is greater than the PR interval (AVRT, AT w/out 1st degree block,
PJRT, Atypical AVNRT)
P wave occurs very late in cardiac cycle, near next QRS, hence the long RP
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References:
1. Stewart, RB, Bardy, GH, Greene, HL. Wide complex tachycardia: misdiagnosis and outcome after emergency therapy. Ann Intern
Med 1986; 104:766.
2. Akhtar, M, Shenasa, M, Jazayeri, M, et al. Wide complex tachycardia. Reappraisal of a common clinical problem. Ann Intern Med
1988; 109:905.
3. Gupta, AK, Thakur, RK. Wide QRS complex tachycardias. Med Clin North Am 2001; 85:245.
4. Miller, JM, Hsia, HH, Rothman, SA, et al. Ventricular tachycardia versus supraventricular tachycardia with aberration:
electrocardiographic distinctions. In: Cardiac Electrophysiology From Cell to Bedside. Zipes, DP, Jalife, Jose (Eds), W.B.
Saunders, Philadelphia 2000. p.696.
5. Tchou, P, Young, P, Mahmud, R, et al. Useful clinical criteria for the diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia. Am J Med 1988; 84:53.
6. Baerman, JM, Morady, F, DiCarlo, LA Jr, de Buitleir, M. Differentiation of ventricular tachycardia from supraventricular tachycardia
with aberration: value of the clinical history. Ann Emerg Med 1987; 16:40.
7. Brugada, P, Brugada, J, Mont, L, et al. A new approach to the differential diagnosis of a regular tachycardia with a wide QRS
complex. Circulation 1991; 83:1649.
8. Miller, JM, Hsia, HH, Rothman, SA, et al. Ventricular tachycardia versus supraventricular tachycardia with aberration:
electrocardiographic distinctions. In: Cardiac Electrophysiology From Cell to Bedside. Zipes, DP, Jalife, Jose (Eds), W.B.
Saunders, Philadelphia 2000. p.696.
9. Crawford PA, Lin TL. The Washington Manual Cardiology Subspecialty Consult. Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins, New York, 2004:
pp 186-187.
10. Blomstrom-Lundqvist, C, Scheinman, MM, Aliot, EM, et al. ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines for the management of patients with
supraventricular arrhythmias--executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart
Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines
(Writing Committee to Develop Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Supraventricular Arrhythmias). Circulation
2003; 108:1871.
11. Worldwide Web: Arnsdorf MF, Ganz LI. Approach to narrow QRS complex tachycardias. www.UpToDate.com. 5/24/06
12. Sanders, WE, Sorrentino, RA, Greenfield, RA, et al. Catheter ablation of sinoatrial node reentrant tachycardia. J Am Coll Cardiol
1994; 23:926.
13. Trohman, RG. Supraventricular tachycardia: implications for the intensivist. Crit Care Med 2000; 28:N129.
14. Akhtar, M, Jazayeri, MR, Sra, J, et al. Atrioventricular nodal reentry. Clinical, electrophysiological, and therapeutic considerations.
Circulation 1993; 88:282.
15. Worldwide Web: Suh, D. VT vs. SVT with aberrancy EKG criteria. http://intmedweb.wfubmc.edu/blurbs/cards/complex.html. 5/24/06
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