What is an aberrant ventricular conduction?

Aberrant ventricular conduction is a common electrocardiographic (EKG) manifestation that occurs when the supraventricular electrical impulse is conducted abnormally through the ventricular conducting system. This results in a wide QRS complex that may be confused with a ventricular ectopic beat.

Is aberrant conduction bad?

The short answer is yes, but it can be very difficult, and even experienced clinicians can misdiagnose VT as SVT with aberrancy! This can lead to clinical misadventure.

What is aberration in ECG?

Aberration occurs when the electrical activation of the heart, which is caused by a series of action potentials is conducting improperly, which can be due to: left anterior fascicular block. left posterior fascicular block. bundle branch block.

What is ventricular conduction defect?

Description. intraventricular conduction disorders are a group of conduction disturbances characterized by abnormalities in intraventricular conduction that leads to changes in shape, duration, and/or axis of the QRS complex on the electrocardiogram 1.

What is the most common cause of ventricular tachycardia?

Ventricular tachycardia most often occurs when the heart muscle has been damaged and scar tissue creates abnormal electrical pathways in the ventricles. Causes include: Heart attack. Cardiomyopathy or heart failure.

What causes Aberrancy?

Aberrant conduction occurs when the length of the cardiac cycle is changed without a compensatory change in the length of the refractory period. This is explained by the changes of the refractoriness in the His-Purkinje system related to changes in the RR interval.

What causes aberrant conduction in the ventricular system?

Figure 1 shows a premature atrial beat causing aberrant ventricular conduction. A premature atrial beat is simply an extra (unexpected) beat discharged by an ectopic focus in the atria. The impulse from the premature beat reaches the His-Purkinje system early, while some fibers are still refractory.

Why are long RR intervals associated with aberrant conduction?

It follows that long cycles (long RR intervals) are associated with long refractory periods and short RR intervals have shorter refractory period. Aberrant conduction occurs when the length of the cardiac cycle is changed without a compensatory change in the length of the refractory period.

Is the P-wave visible before an aberrantly conducted beat?

Aberrantly conducted beats may be difficult to differentiate from premature ventricular beats but it is most often possible to differentiate these entities. In Figure 1 a P-wave is visible before the aberrantly conducted beat and this assures a supraventricular origin of the impulse and the wide QRS complex is therefore due to aberration.

Which is more common premature ventricular complexes or aberrantly conducted beats?

Premature ventricular complexes are, however, more common than aberrantly conducted beats. Aberrantly conducted beats display typical bundle branch block morphology, which premature ventricular complexes do not. Aberrantly conducted beats are not followed by a full compensatory pause (discussed later), which premature ventricular beats are.

What is an aberrant ventricular conduction? Aberrant ventricular conduction is a common electrocardiographic (EKG) manifestation that occurs when the supraventricular electrical impulse is conducted abnormally through the ventricular conducting system. This results in a wide QRS complex that may be confused with a ventricular ectopic beat. Is aberrant conduction bad? The short answer is yes,…