Paroxysmal AV block Electrophysiologic studies

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Overview

An EPS is an invasive catheter based procedure that is employed to detect and anatomically locate conduction disorders. An increased HH interval is seen in intrinsic paroxysmal AV Block.

Electrophysiologic studies (EPS)

  • The decision to perform an EPS requires a global risk assessment.
    • The application of this study is most important in diagnosing I-AVB.
  • According to the European Society of Cardiology, indications for EPS are as follows :
    1. In patients with syncope and previous myocardial infarction or other scar related conditions, EPS is indicated when syncope remains unexplained after non- invasive evaluation.
    2. In patients with syncope and asymptomatic sinus bradycardia, EPS may be considered in a few instances where no invasive tests (eg. ECG monitoring) have failed to show a correlation between syncope and bradycardia.
    3. In patients with syncope preceded by sudden and brief palpitations, EPS may be considered when syncope remains unexplained after non invasive evaluation. "ESC Guidelines on Syncope (Diagnosis and Management of)".

EPS guided therapy

  • A 42 month follow up was performed by Gronda et al in 155 patients, majority of whom had a history of previous syncope.
EPS significance-"Syncope and paroxysmal atrioventricular block - Aste - 2017 - Journal of Arrhythmia - Wiley Online Library".

2018 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Patients With Bradycardia and Cardiac Conduction Delay

Recommendation for Electrophysiology Testing
"1. In patients with symptoms suspected to be attributable to bradycardia, an electrophysiology study (EPS) may be considered in selected patients for diagnosis of, and elucidation of bradycardia mechanism, if initial noninvasive evaluation is nondiagnostic(Level of Evidence: C-LD)[2]"

References

  1. Gronda M, Magnani A, Occhetta E, Sauro G, D'Aulerio M, Carfora A; et al. (1984). "Electrophysiological study of atrio-ventricular block and ventricular conduction defects. Prognostic and therapeutical implications". G Ital Cardiol. 14 (10): 768–73. PMID 6519386.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Kusumoto FM, Schoenfeld MH, Barrett C, Edgerton JR, Ellenbogen KA, Gold MR; et al. (2019). "2018 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Patients With Bradycardia and Cardiac Conduction Delay: Executive Summary: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines, and the Heart Rhythm Society". J Am Coll Cardiol. 74 (7): 932–987. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2018.10.043. PMID 30412710.