Symptoms
Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a type of heart problem present at birth (congenital heart defect). WPW syndrome may occur with other types of congenital heart disease, such as Ebstein anomaly. Rarely, WPW syndrome is passed down through families (inherited).
Causes
Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW) Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is a congenital cardiac condition that can cause cardiac arrhythmias. People born with WPW often have characteristic changes on their electrocardiogram (ECG), and they frequently develop supraventricular tachycardia...
Complications
WPW, a congenital abnormality involving the cardiac electrical system, is associated with cardiac arrhythmias that can produce severe symptoms. People found to have WPW should be evaluated by a cardiologist, and will often benefit from definitive treatment to eliminate the condition.
What is WPW syndrome?
Electrophysiology study (EPS) in patients with WPW syndrome can help to confirm the presence of an AP, differentiate this condition from other forms of SVT, and to localize the pathway participating in the tachycardia for ablative therapy.
What does WPW stand for?
What is WPW cardiac arrhythmia?
What is the role of electrocardiography (EPs) in the workup of WPW syndrome?
What is WPW and how is it treated?
Cardiac catheter ablation Treatment for Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome depends on the severity and frequency of symptoms and the type of heart rhythm problem (arrhythmia) causing the fast heart rate. The goals of treatment are to slow a fast heart rate when it occurs and to prevent future episodes.
What is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome life expectancy?
With appropriate referral, treatment, and patient education, patients with WPW syndrome can expect to have a normal life expectancy and good quality of life.
Does WPW get worse with age?
Therefore, the prevalence of a potentially malignant form of WPW syndrome in asymptomatic subjects does not decrease significantly with age.
What triggers WPW syndrome?
Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a type of heart problem present at birth (congenital heart defect). WPW syndrome may occur with other types of congenital heart disease, such as Ebstein anomaly. Rarely, WPW syndrome is passed down through families (inherited).
Is WPW serious?
It can be scary to be told that you have a problem with your heart, but WPW syndrome usually isn't serious. Many people will have no symptoms or only experience occasional, mild episodes of their heart racing. With treatment, the condition can normally be completely cured.
Can WPW be cured?
You may be able to take medicine to stop or prevent tachycardia. But, there is no medicine that will cure this condition. In rare cases, medicines can make the tachycardia worse. This is the case when someone is in atrial fibrillation and they also have WPW.
What foods to avoid if you have WPW?
If they trigger episodes, limit or avoid alcohol or drinks with caffeine. Do not use over-the-counter decongestants, diet pills, or "pep" pills. They often contain ingredients that make your heart beat faster (stimulants).
What other potential problems might a person with WPW have?
Complications may include:Complications of surgery.Heart failure.Reduced blood pressure (caused by rapid heart rate)Side effects of medicines.
Can WPW cause stroke?
The risk of stroke in WPW syndrome is very low (0.7%). Only one clinical factor differs significantly from remaining population, the relatively old age (mean 62 ± 9 years).
Does Wolff Parkinson White run in families?
Causes. Most cases of WPW syndrome occur randomly in the general population for no apparent reason (sporadically) and do not run in families. Some cases of WPW syndrome run in families and may be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait.
Does WPW make you tired?
Those with WPW syndrome may experience fainting, feeling tired, and shortness of breath. However, over time, symptoms can begin to disappear.
What is WPW in heart?
WPW is an electrical abnormality in the heart that may be associated with supraventricular tachycardia ( fast heart rate originating above the ventricles).
What is WPW in ventricular preexcitation?
It is the most common type of ventricular preexcitation (preexcitation: the impulses travel to the ventricle earlier than what you would expect them to if they traveled down the normal pathway through the AV node). WPW occurs randomly in the general population, occurring in about 1 to 3 per 1,000 persons.
What is the name of the heart rhythm that is triggered by impulses that travel through the heart?
This is called re-entry tachycardia or SVT (supraventricular tachycardia).
How many people have WPW?
WPW occurs randomly in the general population, occurring in about 1 to 3 per 1,000 persons. In the general population, men have a higher incidence of WPW than women do, and there is a higher incidence of multiple accessory pathways in men. Some cases of WPW are inherited.
How do you know if you have WPW?
Symptoms of WPW may include one or more of the following: Heart palpitations – a sudden pounding, fluttering or. Racing feeling in your chest. Dizziness – feeling lightheaded or faint.
Why do you need to ablate a WPW?
How often and at what times to take them. Ablation - In people with WPW and symptoms of palpitations or syncope, an ablation procedure is recommended for two reasons: 1) to prevent symptom recurrence and 2) to prevent sudden cardiac death.
What is ECG in medical terms?
In 1930, Wolff, Parkinson and White described a distinct electrocardiograph (ECG) pattern in healthy young people with short bursts of tachycardia. In 1933, other doctors noted the reason for this irregular rhythm was a faster passage of impulses traveling through the ventricles. In 1944, doctors confirmed the presence of extra pathways.
How does WPW affect the heart?
WPW affects one to three of every 1,000 people worldwide. Electrical signals going through your heart in an organized way control your heartbeat. This allows blood to pass from the upper chambers (the atria) to the lower chambers (the ventricles), and then to travel throughout your body. Normally, a structure in your heart called ...
How to treat WPW?
Here are helpful lifestyle suggestions: 1 Don’t smoke. 2 Work with your doctor to keep conditions such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure under control. 3 Eat a heart-healthy diet. 4 Maintain a healthy weight. 5 Exercise regularly. 6 Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of WPW.
Why is WPW a common cause of tachycardia?
WPW is a common cause of tachycardia in China, and you may be at increased risk if you are of Chinese descent.
How do you know if you have tachycardia with WPW?
Symptoms may also start and stop suddenly and occur at any age. Typical symptoms include: shortness of breath. a pounding in your chest. dizziness. passing out.
What is the procedure called when you have to go to the hospital for cardioversion?
This is called a Valsalva maneuver. Medication may stop or prevent tachycardia. If medication and the Valsalva maneuver do not work, you may need to go to the hospital for cardioversion. This procedure restores your heartbeat to a normal rhythm by passing an electric current through your chest into your heart.
Is WPW dangerous?
WPW is not a dangerous disease for most people. You can manage or correct the condition with treatment. The biggest risk is for sudden death from a heart attack, which tachycardia can cause. However, this is extremely rare, occurring in less than one-half of 1 percent of cases.
What is WPW in medical terms?
A Word From Verywell. WPW, a congenital abnormality involving the cardiac electrical system, is associated with cardiac arrhythmias that can produce severe symptoms. People found to have WPW should be evaluated by a cardiologist, and will often benefit from definitive treatment to eliminate the condition.
What is the difference between AVRT and WPW?
The difference between this typical AVRT and the AVRT seen with WPW is that, in WPW, the accessory pathway is capable of conducting electrical impulses in both directions — from the atrium to the ventricle as well as from the ventricle to the atrium.
What is AVRT in tachycardia?
AVRT is a type of reentrant tachycardia . During AVRT the electrical impulse travels from the atrium to the ventricle using the normal pathway (that is, the AV node) and then returns to the atrium (that is, it “reenters” the atrium) through the accessory pathway.
How to stop SVT in WPW?
So patients with WPW can often stop their episodes of SVT by taking steps to increase the tone of their vagus nerve, such as the Valsalva maneuver, or immersing their face in ice water for a few seconds. For some people who have only rare episodes of SVT, this treatment may be sufficient. 1
How long does a WPW episode last?
They include palpitations, lightheadedness or dizziness, and extreme fatigue. Episodes usually last from a few minutes to several hours. 1
What is the name of the condition that causes palpitations, lightheadedness, and fatigue?
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is a congenital cardiac condition that can cause cardiac arrhythmias. People born with WPW have characteristic changes on their electrocardiogram (ECG), and they frequently develop supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a type of rapid arrhythmia that often produces severe palpitations, lightheadedness, and fatigue.
What is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome?
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is a congenital cardiac condition that can cause cardiac arrhythmias. People born with WPW have characteristic changes on their electrocardiogram (ECG), ...
What is the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome?
The term Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is used to refer to the combination of supraventricular arrhythmias and an electrocardiographic pattern of preexcitation. This syndrome was first described in 1930 in an article by Louis Wolff, Sir John Parkinson, and Paul Dudley White.
When was tachycardia first described?
This syndrome was first described in 1930 in an article by Louis Wolff, Sir John Parkinson, and Paul Dudley White. The authors described eleven patients with recurrent tachycardia associated with an ECG pattern of “Bundle Branch Block (BBB) with short PR interval.”. Since publication of this initial report, our understanding ...
What causes APs in the atria?
APs result from failure of fibrous separation between the atria and the ventricles during the embryological development. These muscle bundles typically connect the epicardial surfaces of the atria and the ventricles along the AV groove outside of the regular atrioventricular conduction system.
Is jugular venous pressure constant?
The jugular venous pressure waveform is usually constant, but it can sometimes be elevated. The incidence of sudden cardiac death in patients with WPW syndrome has been estimated to range from 0.15% to 0.39%. It is distinctly unusual for cardiac arrest to be the first symptomatic manifestation of WPW syndrome.
What does the blue bar mean in WPW syndrome?
The blue bar represents the slurred upstroke in the QRS complex that is found in WPW syndrome, known as the delta wave. The combination of the blue bar and the green bar make up the QRS complex, which is prolonged (160 milliseconds).
What is the pathway of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome?
Patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome have an extra connection in their heart, called an accessory pathway, that allows electrical signals to bypass the Atrio-Ventricular node and move from the atria to the ventricles faster than usual.
Overview
Causes
Clinical significance
Pathophysiology
Mechanism
Function
Diagnosis
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms
- People with WPW are born with an abnormal electrical connection that joins one of the atria (the upper chambers of the heart) with one of the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart). These abnormal electrical connections are called accessory pathways. The accessory pathways create the electrical conditions in which abnormal cardiac rhythms can occur.
Prevention
- Accessory pathways are important because they provide the setting needed to develop a particular type of SVT the SVT known as atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia (AVRT) . AVRT is a type of reentrant tachycardia .
Treatment
- With typical AVRT, during the arrhythmia the electrical impulse travels from the atrium to the ventricle using the normal pathway (that is, the AV node ), and then returns to the atrium (that is, it reenters the atrium) through the accessory pathway. The electrical impulse can then spin around the circuit continuously, creating the arrhythmia. The impulse travels across the accessory path…
Risks
- The difference between this typical AVRT and the AVRT seen with WPW is that, in WPW, the accessory pathway is capable of conducting electrical impulses in both directions from the atrium to the ventricle as well as from the ventricle to the atrium. As a result, during reentrant tachycardia in WPW, the electrical impulse is able to travel down the accessory pathway into the ventricles, t…