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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 1
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias
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yFernando Vega, M.D.
Palpitations• A sensory symptom• An unpleasant awareness of the forceful,
rapid or irregular beating of the heart
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• Can be described as:– Rapid fluttering in the chest– Flip-flopping in the chest– Pounding sensation in chest or neck
Differential Diagnosis
Cardiac Causes-Arrhythmia-Cardiac and extracardiac shunts
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Cardiac and extracardiac shunts-Valvular Heart Disease-Atrial Myxoma-Cardiomyopathy-Pericarditis
Differential Diagnosis
Psychiatric-Panic Attack-Obsessive Disorder
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Obsessive Disorder-Somatization-Depression-Loneliness-Grief
Differential Diagnosis
Medications-Sympathomimmetic Agents-Vasodilators
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Vasodilators-Anticholinergics-Beta Blocker withdrawal
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 2
Differential Diagnosis
Habbits-Caffeine-Nicotine
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Nicotine-Cocaine-Amphetamines
Differential Diagnosis
Metabolic Disorders-Hypoglycemia-Thyrotoxicosis
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Thyrotoxicosis-Pheochromocytoma-Argentaffionoma-Scromboid Food poisoning
Differential Diagnosis
High Output States-Anemia-Pregnancy
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Pregnancy-Paget’s Disease-Fever
HistorySymptoms:• “flip-flopping in chest” – isolated PACs or
PVCs
•Often caused by supraventricular or
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•Often caused by supraventricular or Ventricular premature contraction
ECG - PAC
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HistorySymptoms:• “rapid fluttering in chest”
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•Sustained surpraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia including sinus tachycardia
•May be regular or irregular
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 3
ECG _*
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ECG - VT
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HistorySymptoms:• “pounding in the neck”
•Irregular pounding of the neck is caused by
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arioventricular dissociation where the atriacontract against an occasionlly closed AV valve. Cannon A waves are formed.
•Examples include PVC’s, third degreeheart block or ventricular tachycardia
HistoryMode of Onset:•Abrupt suggests paroxysmal abnormal tachycardia,though sinus tach may start abruptly in anxiety.
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Mode of Termination:•Abrupt suggests paroxysmal arrhythmia,though high adrenergic tone caused by arrhythmia
may result in consequent sinus tach.
HistoryCharacteristics:•Rapid, irregular – AF, AFL, Atrial tachycardia,
multiple PACs or PVCs•Rapid, regular – SVT, VT
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Circumstances:•Panic/anxiety – the chicken or the egg?•Catecholamine excess
–Exercise – idiopathic RVOT VT, AF–Emotional startle – Long QT syndrome
Palpitations• Most patients with Palpitations will have
benign supraventricular or ventricular ectopy
PVC’ d t i d t i l
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•The above are not associated with increased mortality in pts with structurallynormal hearts
•PVC’s and non sustained ventricular tachycardia come in less often.
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 4
Palpitations – Structurally Normal• No history of cardiovascular disease,
congenital anomalies
N l ECG
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•Normal ECG
Palpitations – Other rhythms• Atrial Fibrilation
•Wolf Parkinson White
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•Prolonged Q-T Syndrome
Palpitations – Other rhythms
Atrial Fibrilation
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Palpitations – Atrial Fibrilation
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Palpitations – Atrial Fibrilation
• Hemodynamicaly Stable?
Three Questions to ask:
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•Rate vs. Rhythm Control?
•Anticoagulate?
Palpitations – Atrial Fibrilation
• Chest Pain
Hemodynamic Stability
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• Other perfusion Abnormalities
• Signs of heart failure
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 5
Palpitations – Atrial Fibrilation
• Lone Atrial Fib
Anticoagulation
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•Persistent Atrial Fibrilation
•Intermittent Atrial Fibrilation
Palpitations – Other rhythms• Atrial Fibrilation
•Wolf Parkinson White
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•Prolonged Q-T Syndrome
Palpitations – Other rhythms
• Characterized by delta wave
Wolf Parkinson-White Syndrome
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ECG - WPWWolf Parkinson-White Syndrome
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Palpitations – Other rhythms
• Increased risk of torsade de pointes
•Primary Sx: palpitations, syncope
Prolonged QT Interval
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•Can be congenital or acquired
y p p , y pseizures and cardiac arrest
Palpitations – Other rhythmsProlonged QT Interval
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 6
Palpitations – Other rhythmsProlonged QT Interval
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Palpitations – Other rhythms
QTc = QT interval / square root of RR
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QT is measured in lead II, maybe V2-3, V56
QT is not always prolonged and varies over time
Palpitations – Other rhythmsProlonged QT Interval
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Palpitations – Other rhythmsProlonged QT Interval
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Palpitations – Prolonged QT
Antiarrhythmics:•Amniodarone
Drugs that cause prolonged Q-T Intervals:
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•Disopyramide•Dofetilide, sematilide, ibutilide•Quinidine•Sotalol
Palpitations – Prolonged QT
ANTIHISTAMINES:
Drugs that cause prolonged Q-T Intervals:
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•Astemizole•Terfenadine
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 7
Palpitations – Prolonged QT
ANTIMICROBIALS:E h i i h l i h
Drugs that cause prolonged Q-T Intervals:
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•Erythromycin, azithro, clarithro•Some flouroquinones•TMP/SMZ•Other: Pentamidine, chloroquine
mefloquine
Palpitations – Prolonged QT
•Anorexia nervosa•Hypocalcemia
Metabolic Disorders:
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Hypocalcemia•Hypockalemia•Hypomagnesemia•Hypothyroidism (sporadic case reports)•Liquid protein diets•Starvation
Palpitations:oth Considerations• Mitral Valve Prolapse
•Organic Heart Disease
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•Obsession
Palpitations:oth Considerations• Mitral Valve Prolapse
•Organic Heart Disease
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•Obsession
Palpitations-other ConsiderationsMitral Valve Prolapse
Framingham Heart Study compared 84 patients with MVP to 3403 control subjects;
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with MVP to 3403 control subjects;
Chest pain, dyspnea, syncope, CHF, AF and ECG abnormalities were equally prevalent in matched controls.
Palpitations-other ConsiderationsMitral Valve Prolapse
•Elevated urine and plasma catecholamine levels
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•Exaggerated heart rate response to phenylephrine
•Decreased bradycardic response to dive reflex
•Isoproterenol reproduces symptoms
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 8
Palpitations-Main Points•Symptoms sometimes characterizes the arrhythmia
•Arrhythmia is almost always benign in healthy pts.
•A normal ECG supports above
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pp
•Look out for atrial fib, prolonged QT intervals, WPW
•Look out for other signs of organic disease: Q waves,
ST changes, hypertrophy
Palpitations-Further Workup•Holter Monitoring
•Event Monitoring
•Echocardiogram
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g
•CXR
•EPS Mapping
Palpitations - Management•Caffeine, caffeine, caffeine
•Nutritional support of the heart
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•Hepatodoron, donkey thistle, aurum stibium hyosciamus
•Beta blockade may not supress arrhythmia but associated symptoms
•Other antiarrhythmics
Palpitations: Baseline ECG
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Palpitations: Baseline ECG
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Palpitations: Baseline ECG
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Old ASMI
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 9
Palpitations: Baseline ECG
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Long Q-T interval
Palpitations: Baseline ECG
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Atrial Fibrilation
Palpitations: Brief Discussion on Atrial Fib
Common, especially in middle age
Rule out Hyperthyroidism
“Lone Atrial Fibrlation” – No pharmacological treatment necessary
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“Intermittent Atrial Fibrilation”- Studies show high likelyhoodOf mural thrombi and possible embolization
“Persistent Atrial Fibrilation” – Requires anticoagulation
Palpitations: Brief Discussion on Atrial Fib
Rhyhm vs. Rate control
Rule
“Lone
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“Intermitt
“Persistent Atrial
Palpitations: Baseline ECG
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Normal ECG
Palpitations: ECG with Symptoms
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Palpitations and Management of Arrhythmias 10
Palpitations: Narrow QRS Tachycardia
• Regular? No → AF AT/AFL with variable block MAT
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Regular? No → AF, AT/AFL with variable block, MAT• Visible P waves? No → AVNRT• Atrial rate greater than ventricular rate? Yes → AT/AFL• Short RP interval? AVNRT, AVRT, AT• Long RP interval? AT, PJRT, Atypical AVNRT
Palpitations: Narrow QRS Tachycardia
Take the “Adenosine Challenge”Take the “Adenosine Challenge”
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gg
• Sudden termination → AVNRT, AVRT, SNRT• Persistent Atach, high-degree AV block → AFL, AT• Gradual slowing, then reacceleration → ST, JT• No change in rate → inadequate dose, VT
Palpitations: ECG with Symptoms
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Wide QRS Tachycardia
Palpitations: Wide QRS Tachycardia
• Regular? No → AF/AFL/AT with BBB or AP
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• Is QRS identical to that of SR? Yes → SVT with BBB, antidromic AVRT
• A-V dissociation or fusion beats? Yes → VT• QRS morphology? Bizarre → VT• Previous MI or structural heart disease? Yes → VT
Palpitations: Workup
• 24 hour Holter monitor• Continuous loop event recorder
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• Echocardiogram• Treadmill test (for sxs with or after exercise)• E.P. testing
Palpitations: Management
• Reassurance• AV node blocking meds• Antiarrhythmic therapy
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• Antiarrhythmic therapy• Catheter ablation
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Palpitations: Management
• Reassurance• AV node blocking meds• Antiarrhythmic therapy
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• Antiarrhythmic therapy• Catheter ablation
Palpitations: Management
• Reassurance• AV node blocking meds• Antiarrhythmic therapy
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• Antiarrhythmic therapy• Catheter ablation
AF 1/3
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AF 2/3
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AF 3/3
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Palpitations: Management
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