General Cardiology Part 4
Question 22/36
What is the electrophysiologic mechanism of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT)?
Question 22/36
What is the electrophysiologic mechanism of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT)?
AVNRT is the most common narrow-complex tachycardia in healthy individuals and only second to atrial fibrillation/flutter in the general population. AVNRT occurs when there is “dual AV nodal physiology”. This means there is one pathway that conducts slowly within the AV node and another that conducts fast. A premature atrial or ventricular contraction can alter the normal conduction cycle to produce a reentrant circuit within these two pathways resulting in SVT.