REENTRY ARRHYTHMIA

Course overview

A REENTRY ARRHYTHMIA IS A SELF-SUSTAINING CARDIAC RHYTHM ABNORMALITY IN WHICH THE ACTION POTENTIAL PROPAGATES IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO A CLOSED-LOOP CIRCUIT. IT IS A DISORDER OF IMPULSE CONDUCTION AND IS DISCRETE FROM DISORDERS OF IMPULSE GENERATION SUCH AS AUTOMATICITY OR TRIGGERED ACTIVITY. DYSRHYTHMIAS BASED ON REENTRY MECHANISMS INCLUDE ATRIAL TACHYARRHYTHMIAS SUCH AS ATRIAL FLUTTER (AFLUT), ATRIOVENTRICULAR NODAL REENTRY (AVNRT), ATRIOVENTRICULAR REENTRIES (AVRTS) SUCH AS WOLFF-PARKINSON-WHITE (WPW) SYNDROME AND VENTRICULAR REENTRY SUCH AS BUNDLE BRANCH REENTRY (BBR). THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF REENTRY ARRHYTHMIAS AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH TO THE CARE OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.