Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome medical therapy: Difference between revisions

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  | language = Italian }}</ref> If radiofrequency catheter ablation is successfully performed, the patient is generally considered cured. Recurrence rates are typically less than 5% after a successful ablation.<ref name = Pappone_et_al_1993 />  The one caveat is that individuals with underlying [[Ebstein's anomaly]] may develop additional accessory pathways during progression of their disease.
  | language = Italian }}</ref> If radiofrequency catheter ablation is successfully performed, the patient is generally considered cured. Recurrence rates are typically less than 5% after a successful ablation.<ref name = Pappone_et_al_1993 />  The one caveat is that individuals with underlying [[Ebstein's anomaly]] may develop additional accessory pathways during progression of their disease.


==Circus Movement Tachycardias==
==Acute Treatment==
* Rapid heart rate is most likely due to CMT or [[atrial fibrillation]].
===Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia (AVRT)===
* Palpitations are usually regular during a CMT, irregularly with atrial fib.
* Some patients report that their attacks of CMT may be broken by vagal maneuvers.
* A 24 hr holter should be done in those patients with a suspicion of WPW to assess the mode of initiation, and to determine the type (CMT vs [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]]).
* If the patients quality of life is affected and the holter is negative, then EP studies should be done.
* If there is an inability to induce CMT at EP then it is very unlikely that this is the arrhythmia that the patient is experiencing outside the hospital. Inability to induce CMT obviously does not exclude that the patient is experiencing [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]].
* If the patient presents in a rapid rhythm, you should first try vagal maneuvers to terminate a CMT.
* The most likely arrhythmia on a statistical basis is a CMT with the AP conducting in a retrograde fashion. If the AP is incorporated in a retrograde fashion then there are often retrograde P waves apparent following the QRS, with a PR interval longer than the RP'interval.
* If the patient is known to have WPW and has a regular tachycardia thought to be a CMT, then [[verapamil]] should be the first drug used. If verapamil is not available, then use [[propranolol]] IV. Both terminate the CMT by prolonging the refractory period at the AV node.
* Digitalis has been used, however some patients may dev [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]] with this, and dig may abbreviate the refractory period of the AP resulting in higher ventricular rates during the [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]]. Therefore the use of dig is not recommended.
* If drugs affecting the AV node are not effective, then drugs that affect the accessory pathway are used such as [[procainamide]] or [[disopyramide]].
* If the above fail to terminate the tachycardia or if the patient is tolerating the tachycardia poorly, then the patient should be paced out of it or cardioverted. Pacing is safer in patients on multiple drugs.


==Atrial Fibrillation==
===Atrial Fibrillation===
* Patients can experience high rates during [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]] because of conduction over the accessory pathway which can have a very short refractory period.
* Patients can experience high rates during [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]] because of conduction over the accessory pathway which can have a very short refractory period.
* Mean ventricular rates in these patients range from 160 to 300 BPM.
* Mean ventricular rates in these patients range from 160 to 300 BPM.
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* If the ventricular rate during the [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]] is not > 200, then you could try [[procainamide]], [[disopyramide]], or [[quinidine]] which may prolong the refractory period of the accessory pathway.
* If the ventricular rate during the [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]] is not > 200, then you could try [[procainamide]], [[disopyramide]], or [[quinidine]] which may prolong the refractory period of the accessory pathway.


==Approach to the Patient with a Questionable EKG==
==Long Term Management==
* As mentioned previously, the diagnosis can be difficult in those patients c normal EKGs at rest.
* In some patients the diagnosis can be made with the following noninvasive procedures:
** CSP to increase the AV nodal delay therefore enhancing conduction over the accessory pathway.
** IV [[procainamide]] may cause [[QRS axis and voltage|QRS abnormality]] to disappear by prolonging conduction down the AP.
** [[β-blockers]], [[verapamil]], [[digoxin]] may also facilitate the conduction down the accessory pathway
 
==Intractable Tachyarrhythmias in WPW==
* In patients with [[Atrial fibrillation|AFib]] with rapid ventricular response then surgical interruption should be considered.


Shown below is an EKG of a 24 years old man with Mahaim type of preexcitation.
Shown below is an EKG of a 24 years old man with Mahaim type of preexcitation.

Revision as of 03:08, 17 April 2014

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]

Overview

Acutely, people with WPW who are experiencing a tachydysrhythmia may require electrical cardioversion if their condition is critical, or, if more stable, medical treatment may be used. Patients with atrial fibrillation and rapid ventricular response are often treated with amiodarone orprocainamide to stabilize their heart rate. Adenosine and other AV node blockers should be avoided in Atrial fibriliiatin with WPW; this inlcudes adenosine, diltiazem, verapamil,other calcium channel blockers and Beta-blockers. Patients with a rapid heart beat with narrow QRS complexes (circus movement tachycardias) may also be cardioverted, alternatively, adenosine may be administered if equipment for cardioversion is immediately available as a backup.

The definitive treatment of WPW syndrome is a destruction of the abnormal electrical pathway by radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure is performed almost exclusively by cardiac electrophysiologists. Radiofrequency catheter ablation is not performed in all individuals with WPW syndrome because there are inherent risks involved in the procedure. Adeosine is contraindicated for patients in atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter with a history of WPW

When performed by an experienced electrophysiologist, radiofrequency ablation has a high success rate.[1] If radiofrequency catheter ablation is successfully performed, the patient is generally considered cured. Recurrence rates are typically less than 5% after a successful ablation.[1] The one caveat is that individuals with underlying Ebstein's anomaly may develop additional accessory pathways during progression of their disease.

Acute Treatment

Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia (AVRT)

Atrial Fibrillation

  • Patients can experience high rates during AFib because of conduction over the accessory pathway which can have a very short refractory period.
  • Mean ventricular rates in these patients range from 160 to 300 BPM.
  • During these attacks there is not only the risk of hemodynamic compromise but also a risk of degenerate into VF.
  • As a rule dig should be avoided in these patients.
  • Cardioversion is the tx of choice. If the patient is receiving drugs that promote asystole following electrical cardioversion (e.g. verapamil, beta-blockers, and probably amiodarone) then a temporary pacer should be positioned in the RV before the cardioversion.
  • If the ventricular rate during the AFib is not > 200, then you could try procainamide, disopyramide, or quinidine which may prolong the refractory period of the accessory pathway.

Long Term Management

Shown below is an EKG of a 24 years old man with Mahaim type of preexcitation.



Shown below is an EKG of the same patient after Mahaim bundle ablation


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Pappone C, Lamberti F, Santomauro M, Stabile G, De Simone A, Turco P, Pannain S, Loricchio ML, Rotunno R, Chiariello M (1993). "Ablation of paroxysmal tachycardia in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome". Cardiologia (in Italian). 38 (12 Suppl 1): 189–97. PMID 8020017.

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