Cardiophile MD

Elective cardioversion for atrial fibrillation / flutter is often done in conditions in which the atrial booster function is needed as in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Sometimes it is performed after balloon mitral valvotomy as well. In situations in which it is likely to recur, anti arrhythmic therapy may be continued after the procedure. Sometimes when the [...]

Atrial fibrillation with WPW syndrome
(Click on the image for an enlarged view)
Atrial fibrillation with WPW syndrome (pre-excitation) is a potentially life threatening arrhythmia. Since it is a wide QRS tachycardia, it is often mistaken for ventricular tachycardia. Due to very fast rates, they often present with hemodynamic compromise requiring cardioversion. In the current strip, a [...]

Click on the image for a larger view
ECG of pacing through lateral cardiac vein. Pacing through lateral cardiac vein was done because of prior triple valve replacement (mitral, tricuspid and aortic) which precluded trans venous right ventricular pacing. The basic rhythm is atrial fibrillation and the fifth and last beats are paced. The tall spikes [...]

Stoke risk is increased risk 4-5 fold with atrial fibrillation (AF). On treatement analysis of AFFIRM data found that only two markers of survival advantage was sinus rhythm and use of warfarin. They concluded that if a drug with less side effects for maintaining rhythm in AF is found, rhythm control would be superior to [...]

Click on the images for a larger view
Multifocal atrial tachycardia is defined as three or more different types of P waves occuring at a rate more than 100 per minute. In the second rhythm strip there is a pause before the onset of sinus rhythm after the tachycardia terminates. This could be due to down regulation of [...]