What Is Wpw Syndrome
This is a syndrome consisting of various types of arrhythmias all of which are the result of an extra nerve connecting atrium and the ventricle, called “accessory pathway” or a “bypass tract.” In individuals without WPW, there is only one electrical connection between the atrium and the ventricle, the AV node. In patients with WPW syndrome, the extra connection, the “accessory pathway” or “bypass tract,” allows electrical impulses to travel back and forth between the atria and the ventricles, resulting in rapid heartbeats (commonly referred to as orthodromic AV Reentry Tachycardia or antidromic AV Reentry Tachycardia). Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter can also occur as the result of WPW syndrome. What are symptoms of WPW syndrome? Most commonly, palpitation is the major symptom, although fainting and rarely sudden cardiac death may occur if heart rate is fast enough. Children, unable to verbalize because of limited vocabulary, often can have atypical symptoms such as “chest pain.
