Conduction Blocks Flashcards
3 types of AV blocks
1st degree - AV synchrony maintained
2nd degree - intermittent loss of AV conduction
3rd degree - AV dissociation
2 major etiologies of AV blocks
- progressive cardiac conduction dz - 50% - fibrosis or sclerosis
- ischemic heart dz - 40%
other etiologies of AV block
- trained athlete - increased vagal tone
- infiltrative process - amyloidosis, sarcoidosis
- CHF
- myocarditis
- familial dz
- meds
- malignancies
- cardiac surgery
what is 1st degree AV block
prolonged PR interval - delay in AV conduction (>0.2sec)
ratio of P to QRS waves 1:1
unlikely to change to 2nd degree
PR interval should be consistent, but consistently long
etiology of 1st degree AVB
increased vagal tone
underlying structural abnormalities
drugs that impair AV conduction - BB, CCB, digoxin
populations affected by 1st degree AVB
- trained athletes 8%
- African Americans>whites
- increases with age
severity of first degree AVB
usually asymptomatic
benign
increases risk of afib
more likely to require pacemaker later in life
in pts with stabile coronary dz, increases risk of hospitalization for heart failure
if PR interval is
no treatment
if wide QRS complex, delay AV node, uncertain progression, how to manage 1st degree AVB?
refer to electrophysiologist for consideration of pacemaker
what is an AV block
delay or transmission of electrical current from atria to ventricles
- can be anatomical or functional
- can be transient or permanent
- many causes
how to treat 1st degree AVB
- avoid AV blocking agents
- treat underlying dz
what is 2nd degree AVB
ratio of p waves to QRS is >1:1
two types of 2nd degree AVB
- Mobitz I - Wenckebach
2. Mobitz II
prevalence of 2nd degree AVB
US - .003%
-significantly higher in trained athletes
3% of pts with structural defects will develop 2nd degree AVB
men= women
etiologies of 2nd degree AVB
cardiac meds
lithium
inflammatory dz - incld lyme, endocarditis
infiltrative dz - amyloidosis, sarcoidosis
malignancies
collagen vascular dz - sclerodoma
workup for 2nd degree AVB
EKG electrolytes lyme titers digoxin levels cardiac biomarkers echo