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Conduction

Arrhythmia Mechanisms

  • Cellular
    • Impulse initiation
      • Automaticity (sinus brady/tachy)
      • Triggered Automaticity
        • Digitalis, Torsades
    • Excitation (Ischemic VF or AV block)
    • Repolarization (Polymorphic VT or AF)

  • Multicellular

    • Cellular coupling (Ischemic VT/VF)
    • Tissue Structure (AF, monomorphic VT)

  • 3 usual mechanisms of abnormal rhythms:

    • Reentry
      • MC mechanism is reentry from abnormal conduction
      • AVNRT (MC reentry, SVT), Atrial Flutter, most VTs
    • Triggered Activity
    • Automaticity