Ectopic pacemaker

Jump to navigation Jump to search
Ectopic pacemaker

WikiDoc Resources for Ectopic pacemaker

Articles

Most recent articles on Ectopic pacemaker

Most cited articles on Ectopic pacemaker

Review articles on Ectopic pacemaker

Articles on Ectopic pacemaker in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Ectopic pacemaker

Images of Ectopic pacemaker

Photos of Ectopic pacemaker

Podcasts & MP3s on Ectopic pacemaker

Videos on Ectopic pacemaker

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Ectopic pacemaker

Bandolier on Ectopic pacemaker

TRIP on Ectopic pacemaker

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Ectopic pacemaker at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Ectopic pacemaker

Clinical Trials on Ectopic pacemaker at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Ectopic pacemaker

NICE Guidance on Ectopic pacemaker

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Ectopic pacemaker

CDC on Ectopic pacemaker

Books

Books on Ectopic pacemaker

News

Ectopic pacemaker in the news

Be alerted to news on Ectopic pacemaker

News trends on Ectopic pacemaker

Commentary

Blogs on Ectopic pacemaker

Definitions

Definitions of Ectopic pacemaker

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Ectopic pacemaker

Discussion groups on Ectopic pacemaker

Patient Handouts on Ectopic pacemaker

Directions to Hospitals Treating Ectopic pacemaker

Risk calculators and risk factors for Ectopic pacemaker

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Ectopic pacemaker

Causes & Risk Factors for Ectopic pacemaker

Diagnostic studies for Ectopic pacemaker

Treatment of Ectopic pacemaker

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Ectopic pacemaker

International

Ectopic pacemaker en Espanol

Ectopic pacemaker en Francais

Business

Ectopic pacemaker in the Marketplace

Patents on Ectopic pacemaker

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Ectopic pacemaker

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]


An ectopic pacemaker or ectopic focus is an excitable group of cells that causes a premature heart beat outside the normally functioning SA node of the human heart. Acute occurrence is usually non-life threatening, but chronic occurrence can progress into ventricular fibrillation.

Etiology

Ectopic pacemakers can occur within healthy hearts in response to various stimulating events, such as:

Physiology

An ectopic pacemaker can reside within a part of the conduction system of the heart, or within the muscle cells of the atria or ventricles. When an ectopic pacemaker initiates a beat, premature contraction occurs. A premature contraction will not follow the normal signal transduction pathway, and can render the heart refractory or incapable of transmitting the normal signal from the SA node.

Diagnosis

On an ECG, the QRS complex will be abnormally shaped. It can be perceived as a skipped beat on both the ECG and through normal pulse-taking.

References

  1. Carol, Mattson, Port. Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States 7th Ed, Pg 588. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005. ISBN 0-7817-4988-3
  2. Keller-Wood, Maureen. "Electrical Activity in the Heart." Lecture at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, 23-Oct-2007.

See Also

Cardiac ectopy Clinical cardiac electrophysiology Electrical conduction system of the heart


Template:WikiDoc Sources