Abstract
In the human heart the refractory period of the AV node protects the ventricle against supraventricular rhythms with a very high rate. In the presence of an accessory atrio-ventricular (AV) pathway the ventricular rate during supraventricular rhythms not only depends upon the refractory period of the AV node but also upon the refractory period of the accessory AV pathway. If the refractory period of the latter is very short atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation can become life-threatening arrhythmias. Indeed, in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome deterioration of atrial fibrillation into ventricular fibrillation has been reported (1–13) (see Figure 1).
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References
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© 1980 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers bv, The Hague
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Wellens, H.J.J., Bär, F.W., Farre, J., Ross, D., Vanagt, E.J. (1980). Sudden Death in the Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. In: Kulbertus, H.E., Wellens, H.J.J. (eds) Sudden Death. Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8834-7_27
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8834-7_27
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-009-8836-1
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