[Skip to Content]
[Skip to Content Landing]

A Patient With Palpitations—Exceptions Prove the Rule

To identify the key insights or developments described in this article
1 Credit CME

A patient in their 40s presented with complaints of intermittent episodes of palpitations for the past year. The patient described the palpitations as sudden in onset, persisting for 2 to 3 minutes, and terminating spontaneously and abruptly. The frequency of these palpitation episodes varied from once per week to less than once per month. There were no associated syncopal episodes or giddiness. All the episodes terminated before the patient could reach the hospital. There was no other contributory history. At presentation, the patient was in sinus rhythm with pulse rate of 100 beats/min, blood pressure of 126/80 mm Hg, and a normal cardiovascular examination. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is shown in the Figure.

Please finish quiz first before checking answer.

You answered correctly!

Read the answer below and download your certificate.

You answered incorrectly.

Read the discussion below and retake the quiz.

Various algorithms have been established for localizing the accessory pathways based on the surface ECG. The most widely studied and well-established Arruda algorithm1 suggested the presence of a posteroseptal accessory pathway in this patient.

Risk stratification of accessory pathways depends on the identification of markers for sudden cardiac death. These include smaller APERP (less than 250 milliseconds), shortest preexcited R-R intervals of less than 250 milliseconds during atrial fibrillation, presence of multiple accessory pathways, Ebstein anomaly, and familial Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. On the other hand, abrupt loss of preexcitation during treadmill testing and intermittent preexcitation on the surface ECG imply the presence of bypass tracts with longer refractory periods.2 The coronary sinus pathway is associated with coronary sinus aneurysm, which is found to have a rapid conduction time and thereby high risk of fast ventricular rate and sudden cardiac death during atrial fibrillation episodes.3

Survey Complete!

Sign in to take quiz and track your certificates

Buy This Activity

JN Learning™ is the home for CME and MOC from the JAMA Network. Search by specialty or US state and earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ from articles, audio, Clinical Challenges and more. Learn more about CME/MOC

CME Disclosure Statement: Unless noted, all individuals in control of content reported no relevant financial relationships. If applicable, all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

Article Information

Corresponding Author: Ramanathan Velayutham, MD, Department of Cardiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research JIPMER Campus Rd, Dhanvantari Nagar, Puducherry – 605006, India (nadalram@gmail.com).

Published Online: September 19, 2022. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.3813

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.

References
1.
Arruda  MS , McClelland  JH , Wang  X ,  et al.  Development and validation of an ECG algorithm for identifying accessory pathway ablation site in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.   J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 1998;9(1):2-12. doi:10.1111/j.1540-8167.1998.tb00861.xPubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
2.
Page  RL , Joglar  JA , Caldwell  MA ,  et al; Evidence Review Committee Chair‡.  2015 ACC/AHA/HRS guideline for the management of adult patients with supraventricular tachycardia: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society  [published correction appears in Circulation. 2016 Sep 13;134(11):e232-3].  Circulation. 2016;133(14):e471-e505. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000310PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
3.
Al Fagih  A , Al Zahrani  G , Al Hebaishi  Y , Dagriri  K , Al Ghamdi  SA .  Coronary sinus diverticulum as a cause of resistant posteroseptal pathway ablation.   J Saudi Heart Assoc. 2011;23(1):41-44. doi:10.1016/j.jsha.2010.07.009PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
4.
Klein  GJ , Gulamhusein  SS .  Intermittent preexcitation in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.   Am J Cardiol. 1983;52(3):292-296. doi:10.1016/0002-9149(83)90125-XPubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
5.
Mah  DY , Sherwin  ED , Alexander  ME ,  et al.  The electrophysiological characteristics of accessory pathways in pediatric patients with intermittent preexcitation.   Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2013;36(9):1117-1122. doi:10.1111/pace.12144PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
6.
Orczykowski  M , Walczak  F , Derejko  P ,  et al.  Ventricular fibrillation risk factors in over one thousand patients with accessory pathways.   Int J Cardiol. 2013;167(2):525-530. doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2012.01.076PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
7.
Kiger  ME , McCanta  AC , Tong  S , Schaffer  M , Runciman  M , Collins  KK .  Intermittent versus persistent Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in children: electrophysiologic properties and clinical outcomes.   Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2016;39(1):14-20. doi:10.1111/pace.12732PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
8.
Aleong  RG , Singh  SM , Levinson  JR , Milan  DJ .  Catecholamine challenge unmasking high-risk features in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.   Europace. 2009;11(10):1396-1398. doi:10.1093/europace/eup211PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
AMA CME Accreditation Information

Credit Designation Statement: The American Medical Association designates this Journal-based CME activity activity for a maximum of 1.00  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to:

  • 1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;;
  • 1.00 Self-Assessment points in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s (ABOHNS) Continuing Certification program;
  • 1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;
  • 1.00 Lifelong Learning points in the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) Continuing Certification program; and
  • 1.00 CME points in the American Board of Surgery’s (ABS) Continuing Certification program

It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting MOC credit.

Close
Want full access to the AMA Ed Hub?
After you sign up for AMA Membership, make sure you sign in or create a Physician account with the AMA in order to access all learning activities on the AMA Ed Hub
Buy this activity
Close
Want full access to the AMA Ed Hub?
After you sign up for AMA Membership, make sure you sign in or create a Physician account with the AMA in order to access all learning activities on the AMA Ed Hub
Buy this activity
Close
With a personal account, you can:
  • Access free activities and track your credits
  • Personalize content alerts
  • Customize your interests
  • Fully personalize your learning experience
Education Center Collection Sign In Modal Right
Close

Name Your Search

Save Search
With a personal account, you can:
  • Access free activities and track your credits
  • Personalize content alerts
  • Customize your interests
  • Fully personalize your learning experience
Close
Close

Lookup An Activity

or

My Saved Searches

You currently have no searches saved.

Close

My Saved Courses

You currently have no courses saved.

Close