Pulsus bigeminus
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Pulsus bigeminus is a cardiovascular phenomenon, in which two heartbeats occurs close to each other followed by a long pause. The second pulse is weaker than the first, and it is caused by premature contractions after every other beat, usually of the ventricles.
Causes
Life Threatening Causes
Life-threatening causes include conditions which may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated. Pulsus bigeminus in itself is not a life threatening condition.
Common Causes
The most common cause of Pulsus bigeminus is hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Pulsus bigeminus may be innocent and a temporary phenomenon, Other Common causes include:
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
| Chemical / poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
| Drug and Toxin Side Effect | No underlying causes |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | No underlying causes |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | [No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | No underlying causes |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying cause |
| Infectious Disease | No underlying causes |
| Musculoskeletal / Ortho | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | No underlying cause |
| Nutritional / Metabolic | No underlying cause |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying cause |
| Oncologic | No underlying causes |
| Opthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose / Toxicity | [No underlying causes |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal / Electrolyte | No underlying causes |
| Rheum / Immune / Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | No underlying causes |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |