Atrial tachycardia (AT)
What is it?
The heart contracts thanks to specialised cellular structures that generate electrical impulses and regulate their distribution within the heart.
Under normal circumstances the electrical impulse originates in the sinoatrial node, travels through the atria and reaches the atrioventricular node, which is the only pathway for electrical communication between the atria and ventricles; from here the impulse travels to the bundle of His and the intraventricular conduction system.
This disorder develops when a group of heart cells (ectopic focus) located in the atrium generates a beat faster than the sinus node (130/150 BPM) and takes control of the heart, usurping it.
Which are the symptoms?
This condition causes palpitations and heart fatigue.
Atrial tachycardia can either be caused by a re-entry mechanism or by an amplified ectopic focus. In general, atrial re-entry tachycardia is triggered by a premature atrial pulse and is paroxysmal in nature, whereas 'automatic or focal tachycardia' is permanent and does not require an extraneous pulse to trigger.
How is it diagnosed?
Suggested exams
How is it treated?
Transcatheter ablation using fluoroscopic or non-fluoroscopic techniques is the treatment of choice.
Where do we treat it?
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