Pacemaker induced repetitive nonreentrant ventriculoatrial synchrony: initiation and termination by ventricular extrasystole

Abstract

During dual chamber pacing, repetitive ventriculoatrial (VA) synchrony secondary to retrograde conduction can occur whenever otherwise effectual atrial stimuli fall continually within the atrial myocardial refractory period generated by preceding unsensed retrograde atrial depolarization. The latter falls within the pacemaker atrial refractory period and cannot initiate endless loop tachycardia, another form of repetitive VA synchrony secondary to a reentrant process through the pacemaker and the heart. This report describes the usefulness of Holter recordings in the diagnosis of repetitive nonreentrant VA synchrony and documents initiation and termination of this process by a ventricular extrasystole.