Ventricular Premature Beats: Difference between revisions

Ventricular Premature Beats (view source)

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 [[Image:Rhythm_bigemini.png|thumb|Bigemini: every sinus beat is followed by a ventricular extrasystole]]
-A VPB is an [[Ectopic Beats|ectopic beat]] that origins from the ventricles. VPBs are hardly conducted by the specialised conduction system and therefore are broad. The QRS width is at least > 0.12 seconds, but often very broad at around 0.16-0.20 seconds. The VPB is usualle followed by a [[Ectopic Beats|compensatory pause]], however this can be absent in the presence of retrograde conduction through the av-node.
+A VPB is an [[Ectopic Beats|ectopic beat]] that originates from the ventricles. VPBs are conducted by the specialized conduction system and therefore are broad. The QRS width is at least > 0.12 seconds, but often very broad at around 0.16-0.20 seconds. The VPB is usually followed by a [[Ectopic Beats|compensatory pause]], however this can be absent in the presence of retrograde conduction through the av-node.
-Causes: e.g. ischemia, hypoxia, old scar tissue, idiopathic. 50% of healthy men have sporadic VPBs.
+Causes: e.g. ischemia, hypoxia, old scar tissue, idiopathic. Fifty per cent of healthy men have sporadic VPBs.
-The origin of the VPB can be derived from its form. A LBTB-configured VPB originates in the right ventricle. A RBTB-configured VPB comes from the left ventricle. The QRS duration of a VPB is > 0.12 seconds and can be as wide as 0.16-0.20 seconds.
+The origin of the VPB can be derived from its form. An LBTB-configured VPB originates in the right ventricle. An RBTB-configured VPB comes from the left ventricle. The QRS duration of a VPB is > 0.12 seconds and can be as wide as 0.16-0.20 seconds.
 '''A sequence of three or more extrasystoles''' is called a [[Ventricular Tachycardia|non-sustained ventricular tachycardia]].
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 VPBs are associated with numerous cardiac diseases (e.g. structural heart disease, ischemia, congenital arrhythmias, pulmonary disease).
-However, VPBs are also relatively common in patients without known heart disease. The importance of VPBs for prognosis is controversial. A study by Abdalla et. al <cite>Abdalla</cite> followed 15.637 apparantly healty men aged 35 to 57 years. The prevalence of VPBs was 4.4%. In a subgroup of patients with frequent (2 or more uniform VPCs every 2 minutes) and complex VPBs (multiforms, pairs, runs, R-on-T) the risk of sudden cardiac death was 4.2. In the Framingham study 12% of men and 33% of women without clinically evident coronary heart disease had frequent (>30 VPBs per hour) or complex VPBs. In men, this was associated with a two fold increase of death. However, in another study asymptomatic patients had a good prognosis. <cite>Kennedy</cite> Therefore, probably sporadic VPBs are relatively benign, whereas frequent and complex VPBs are reason for further examination.
+However, VPBs are also relatively common in patients without known heart disease. The importance of VPBs for prognosis is controversial. A study by Abdalla et. al <cite>Abdalla</cite> followed 15.637 apparently healthy men aged 35 to 57 years. The prevalence of VPBs was 4.4%. In a subgroup of patients with frequent (2 or more uniform VPCs every 2 minutes) and complex VPBs (multiforms, pairs, runs, R-on-T) the risk of sudden cardiac death was 4.2. In the Framingham study 12% of men and 33% of women without clinically evident coronary heart disease had frequent (>30 VPBs per hour) or complex VPBs. In men, this was associated with a two fold increase of death. However, in another study asymptomatic patients had a good prognosis. <cite>Kennedy</cite> Therefore, probably sporadic VPBs are relatively benign, whereas frequent and complex VPBs are reason for further examination.
 ==References==
 <biblio>