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Posts Tagged ‘verapamil sensitive vt’

Fascicular tachycardia : A classification

Posted in Cardiology - Clinical, cardiology- coronary care, Tutorial in clinical cardiology, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Traditionally we believed VT can originate only  from the ventricular myocardial cells . Then we realised many of the VTs shared the characteristics of SVT. When these were analysed , it was found VTs , after all ,   do not have   a big deal of   difference wth SVT s ! especially when it arises from the high septum .Contary to the conventional teaching  the AV node is not a anatomically distinct and discrete  structure  .Instead it is made up of  thousands of specialised cells located in AV junctional area .These cells ramify both superiorly and inferiorly like an octopus . Hence  , it does not require great academics to understand AV Nodal properties extend downward into the IVS for some distance . In some individuals   clusters of cells with  slow conducting  property (Which is a hall mark of AV nodal tissue )  may invade deep into the IVS .The interface of  these slow conducting tissue with that of  fast septal purkinje fibres , make it a  perfect platform for  the potential slow-fast reentry within IVS. This forms the basis of fascicular  VT.

Clinical features

  • Since it shares the  properties of SVT , the natural history is also relatively beningn
  • Occurs in young
  • Hemodynamically stable ( More physiological conduction : Superi inferior Like SVT)
  • Narrow qrs (Narrow because the VTdoes not travel by cell to cell instead  run through the normal conduting system for most part in the circuit)
  • Verapamil sensitive .(Mimic AV nodal Tach)
  • Degeneration into VF is  rare  and hence  SCD is not a big  issue
  • Tachycardic myopathy can occur.

fascicular vt ventricular tachycardia ecg svt avnrt avrt wpw

Note:

Fascicular tachycardia is also known in several names.

It forms the bulk of the causes for  idiopathic left ventricular VTs .Other being LVOT VT.

Described first by Cohen in 1974 , followed by Zipes , when they noticed  it was possible to reproduce atrial induction of VT.

Belhassen in 1984 found the verapamil sensitivity of this VT

Other synonyms some times used are

  • Septal VT
  • Narrrow qrs VT

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Fascicular tachycardia

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What determines hemodynamic stability in ventricular tachycardia ?

Posted in Cardiology - Electrophysiology -Pacemaker, cardiology- coronary care, Infrequently asked questions in cardiology (iFAQs), tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 3, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Ventricular tachycardia is considered as one of the most  dangerous  cardiac arrhythmia .Rather , it is the label  VT  that spreads more  fear than the arrhythmia itself. It is a fact many patients with VT walk into hospital , still  VT will always be a sinister arrhythmia as long as it carries a risk of degenerating into ventricular fibrillation.

What determines hemodynamic stability in VT ?

  • Origin and location of VT
  • The ventricular rate
  • Presence or absence of AV dissociation
  • Impact on mitral inflow pattern
  • Associated left ventricular dysfunction or valvular heart disease.
  • VT in the setting of acute coronary syndrome.(Ischemic VT)
  • Inappropriate drug selection

Origin and location

VTs originating high up in the ventricle( High septal VT,Proximal VTs) have more organised ventricular contraction  and they are more stable.Distal VT  originating  in the myocardium away from the conducting system has chaotic myocyte to myocyte conduction.These are very unstable.

The term fascicular VT is nothing but VTs originating  in the His bundle and it’s branches( Can also be termed Septal VT ).These VTs are also stable and some of them respond well to calcium blockers indicating that they are very close to the AV junction and carry the properties of junctional tachycardia. QRS width gives  a rough estimate about the location of VT. Narrower the VT higher it’s origin.( But remember even in VT ,  qrs can further widen on it’s way downhill !)

LV dysfunction.

This is probably the most important determinant of the outcome in VT. Patients with severe LV dysfunction (EF <30%) fare badly .Hence the land mark concepts from MADIT 1& 2 demanded ICDs in these patients.The most common clinical setting is  dilated cardiomyopathy.SomE of them have bundle branch re entry(BBR).This particular  VT can be stable for many  hours.

Ventricular rate.

Usually VT has a rate between 120-200.Higher the rate of VT more the chances of instability .This rule is also not always true as fascicular VT can be well tolerated at high rates.So location of VT focus  and LV dysfunction usually over rides the impact  of ventricular rate.

Mitral inflow pattern

Proper left ventricular filling is the key to hemodynamic stability in VT. In proximal, septal,fascicular, LVOT VTs doppler studies  suggest (ACC /AHA Type C evidence : Personal observations in CCU during VT) near normal preservation of  bi modal filling of mitral valve inflow.In ischemic myocardial VT  the mitral inflow profile is critically affected . There is no distinctive forward filling was observed .In fact  at rapid rates a short pulsatile MR jets are noted instead.

Associated valvular diseases

It is obvious,  aortic  and mitral valve disorders can aggravate the hemodyanmic instability.

Final message

The clinical behavior of  ventricular tachycardia is widely variable and dependent on multiple factors.

Associated LV dysfunction and  structural heart disease ultimately determine the outcome.

 

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