DISTURBANCES
OF RATE AND RYTHEM OF THE HEART
DR. DEEPAK AGRAWAL
Dept. Of Paediatrics
Indira Gandhi Medical College & Hospital
Nagpur(M.S.)
INTRODUCTION
Parts of the heart beat in orderly sequence i.e. contraction
of atria followed by contraction of ventricle. The heartbeat
originates in a specialised cardiac conducting system and spread
via this system in the all parts of myocardium.
Normally SA node discharges more rapidly therefore called as
cardiac pacemaker.
In infants and children, life threatening cardiac rhythm
disturbances are more frequently the result rather than the cause
of acute cardiovascular emergencies.
Primary cardiac arrest is uncommon in this age group.
Typically cardiac arrest in the end result of hypoxemia and
acidosis resulting from respiratory insufficiency or shock.
Therefore in pediatric age group attention must be directed
towards establishment of patent air way, effective ventilation
adequate oxygenation and circulatory ostabalisatias.
2] ANATOMIC CONSIDERATION OF CONDUCTING SYSTEM.
SA node (node and flakes)
Situated at the juction of SSSVC with right atrium, lat. To
the opening os SVC
3 mm wide
15 mm long
1 mm thick
Internodal pathways
3 pathways
ant. Tract:- tract of Bachman
Middle tract:- tract of wenckebach
Post tract:- tract of throat
AV node (node of Aschoff)
Situated in right post portion of interatrial septum
Only pathway for conduction from atria to ventricle.
Bundle of His
Continuation of Av node
Gives off 16 bundle branch at the top of interventricular
septum and continues as right branch. 16 bundle branch gives out
and post fasicle.
Branches and fascicles run subendocardially, and comes in
contact with purkinje system whose fibers spread to all parts of
the ventricular myocardium.
3] PROPERTIES OF CARDIAC MUSCLE
ELECTRICAL
Resting membrane potial of cardiac muscle is - 90 MV
Depolarisation of cardiac muscle last for 2 ms and
repolarisation for 200 ms
Following as phases of cardiac muscle action potential
Phase 0 Phase of rapid depolarisation, due to opening of
voltage gated sodium channels.
Phase 1 Phase of initial rapid repolarisation due to closure
ofvoltage gated sodium channels.
Phase 2. Phase of plateau due to blower but prolonged opening
of voltage gated calcium channels.
Phase 3. Phase of final repolarisation due to closure of Ca12 channels and K7
Efflux
Phase 4 Phase of resting potential.
Mechanical Properties
Contractile response of cardiac muscle begins just after the
start of depolarisation and lasts about 1.5 times as long as
action potential. During phase 0 to 2 and half of phase 3 cardiac
muscle cannot be excited again by any stimulus called obsolute
refractory period. During rest of phases remains in relative
refractory period.
4] PACEMAKER POTENTIAL
Rythmically discharging cells have a membrane potential that,
after each impulse declines to the firing level called pacemaker
Potential with stimulates next impulse.
Action potentials in Sa and Av nodes are largely due to Ca12 with little contribution by Na+ influx,
therefore there is no sharp rapid depolarisation spine before the
platcan.
When the cholinergi, vagal fibers to nodal tissue are
stimulated membrane becomes hyperpolarised and slope of
prepotential is ed therefore ing heart rate.
Stimulation of sympoathetic cardiac nerves makes membrane
potential fall more rapidly and rate of spontaneous discharge
increases.
5] Spread oc Cardiac Excitation
Depolarisation initiated in the SA node spreads radially
through atria then converges on AV node.
Atrial depolarisation complete with 0.1 sec.
Because conduction in AV node is slow there is delay of 0.15
called AV nodal delay shortened by sympathetic stimulation
Lenghtened by vagal stimulas.
From top of the interventricular septum, depolarisation
reaches to all part of ventricle with 0.08 --0.1 seconds.
Depolarisation of ventricular muscle starts from 16 of the
septum spreads to right of septum 1st .
Then spreads to apex, returns along the ventricular walls to
the AV groove, proceeding from endocardial to the epicardial
surface.
Last parts of the heart to be depolarised are posterobasal of
16 ventricle, pulmonary conus and uppermost portion of septum.
6] The Electro Cardiogram
Surface electrocardiogram is graphic representation of the
sequence ofmyocardial depolarisation repolarisation
P Wave Atrial depolarisation
PQ segment delay in AV node
QRs complex ventricular
depolarisation
I wave b ventricular repolarisation
Heart rate in children.
Age Awake Rate
Mean
New born to 3 month of 5 -205 140
3 month to 2 years 100 - 140 130
2 years to 10 years 60 - 140 80
> 10 years 60 - 100 75
Average QRs Duration
Infants 0.05 sec
1-3 years 0.06 sec
child > 3 years 0.07 sec.
Limit of N PR interval
< 3 years of age - 0.08 secs.
3-16 years - 0.10 secs.
7] Monitoring the Ecg
ECG should be continuosly monitored in children who have
evidence of respiratory and cardiovascular instability
ECG. Provides no information about the effectiveness of
myocardial activity or quanlity of tissue perfusion.
As a result, therapy must always be based on clinical
evaluation of the patient correlated with information derived
from ECG.
Monitoring Systemb
Consists of a display screen and heart tachnometer that
determines the heart rate from the R.R. interval.
The ECG impulse is conducted from the patient to the cardiac
monitor through three coloured coded cabler attached to the
patient by adhesive pads.
Pads typically placed on shoulders on lat. Chest surface and
ground electrode is placed on the abd. or thigh.
8] Pathophysiologic Basis ob Cardiac Carrythymias
A) Premature beats and Tachycardiac.These may
prompot sinoatrial activity secondary to
disorders of either automaticity or centry.
Abnormal automalicity
A) Enhanced automaticity
of a focus outside the
sinoatrial node with
promotes early
achievement of threshold
potential.B) This
mechanism is implicated
in some arrythmias of
childrens like
i) ectopic atrial
tachcardiaii)
junctional ectopic tachy.
Characteristics
ofthese arrythsia
i) inability to
terminate the arrythmia
with cardioversion pacing
maneunersii) wide
variation in tacly cardia
iii) specific
pharmacologic response
2) Triggered
Automaticity
Electrical triggers in
this case are small
oscillation that may
occur during pohase 5 or
phase 4
Such oscillations are
produced by
a) hypokalemiab)
high levels of
catecholamines
c) hypoxic injury
d) cardiac glycosides
Characteristics of triggered
automaticity
i) wide variation
calhy cardeiaii) can
terminate cachy; cardia
with pacing maneuvers.
3] Sentry
most common mechanism for sustained
tacharythmia
This implies that single stimulus
scan return and reactivate the
same tissue from where it came.Requirements
for Poentry
a) dual poathwayb)
unidirestional
anterograde bwc
c) an area of slow
conduction
eg:
WPW syndrome - classical eg
Atrial flutter
Atrial fibrillation
OA node recentry
AV node recentry
Most forms of ventricular
tachyomdia
Clinical features of Recentry
Narrow lrange in tachycardia
Abruph anset and termination
Specific pharmacologic response
Successful termination with DC shock
B) Bradyeardia and block
Abnormally slow rate of result from depression of
depolarisation in pacemaker cells and for block of electrical
activity.
When Sa node automaticity is impaired one of the several
latent pacemaker sites in atrium or AV conductions system assumes
responsibility of generating cardiac rythm.
Escape rate depends on level lof new pacemake.. More distal
the pacekame slower will be the heart rate.
Latent pacemaker lack in rich autonomic influence found at SA
node and may exhibit a blunted chromotropic response to exertion
and stress.
Evaluation and Management of Cardiac Arrythmia
1) Premature beat
common on pediatric age group
Arial eclopy predominhatging in infants and young childrens.
ventricular ectopy predominalising in adolescence
Isolated premature bealo are usually benigh, but may serve as
markers of serious underling pathology in susceptible
individuals.
-
- Atrial premature beats
- Appears of ECG as early P wave with axis and morphology
differing from normal P wave usually followed by normal
QRs compea.
If patient is asymptomatic, occassional
atrial premature beats are most always benig.
In child with past H/O dizziness or sustained
palpitation, APB, have potential for SVT.
In asymplomatic patient stie evaluation is expanded if
the beats are frequent or seems to arise from multiple
foci.
Hyperthroidism, structural heart disease and
cardiomyopathy are possible causes.
- Junctional premature beats
- Rare
- ECG reveals an early normal QRs but no preeceding P wave
-
- Ventricular premature beats
-
- ECG:- 1) early beat, 2) bizzare QRs
complex, 3) No preoeding P wave
4) T wave axis is usually directed opposite to
Qrs , 5) complete compensatory pause i.e.
distance between R wave preceding and following
premature beat is exactly double the R RR
internalOccuring in 1% of normal infants
Occuring 50 60% of healthy teanager
Modified lowns classification for ventriculer ectomy
-
- No cetopy
-
- Occsonal VPB ( 30 1 hr) isolated 10 W grade
-
- Frequent VPB (> 301 hours) mod
-
- Multiform VPB
4. a) complets Repetitive severe
-
- VT or Vf
-
- early VPB
Ventricular premature beats altrnating with normal beat called
bigemy
VPB floowing every 2 normal beats called trigeniny
Usually patient is unaware of single VPBS, but some may be
aware of skipped beal " or a sludder tickle over precordium
this is because of increased strokes volume of normal beat
following VPB.
2] Tachycardia
Classification
-
- Tachy cardia causes
-
-
-
- Narrow CRs complex
-
- Sinus Tachycardia
-
- Ectopic atrial tachycardia
-
- Multiiocat atrial tachycardia
-
- Juetional ecotopic tachycardia
-
- Atrial fuctter
-
- Atrial fibrillation
-
- Osthodronic WPW syndra
-
- Tachycardia with wide QRs complex
-
-
-
- ventricular ltachycardia
-
- SVT with BBB
-
- Antidronie WPW
-
-
-
- Decision tree for tachycardia
with poor perfusion
A) Sinus tachycardia
Most often due to anxiety an
exercise May be due to fever
Anaemia, hypo volumia, shock,
ccf, hyperthroidim
Hypoxia
Rate seldom res. Above
200/min. even in newborn never
exceeds 260/min.
E6 N Pwave but at fast rate
Vagal lstimulation allows the
heart rate
Tlt the basic cause
-
- Ectopic atrial tachycardia
Counts for 10% cases of SVTThere is inhanced
automalicity of single non sinus atrial focus
Rarely causes acute symptom may present with
ccf or dilated cardionyopatlp
Rapidatrial rate with varies beat to beat
Management: clinical lsymptoms may
improve by slowerly ventricular rate
Digoxin improves ventrticular function, both
through its isonotropic effect and through its
vagaly medhated Av node block.
- Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia
- Rare disorder in children
Multiple foce oflenhanced
atrial automaticity
ECG: Variable P wave morphodology with highly variable
PP internal
Causes: a) Stransisent idopathii disorder in
infam b) Postoperative
Treatment: Medications which enhance AV block
- Junctional ectopic tachycardia
Caused because of enhanced automaticityCauses:a)
congenital disorder
-
-
- definite familial
- post operative tendency
ECG: It is the only narron complex SVT characterised by
AV dissociation and ventricular rate greater than atrial rate.
Tlt: Drug therapy proves to be little effective
Pacing fixed rate atrial pacing greater than
tachycardia rate
Use of induced hypothermia i.e. 340C
- Atriall flutter
Mechanism: single rentry loop confined to
atrial muscleAtrial rate is about 240-360/m
Rare in infants and children associated with
dialated alria, myocarditis, intraalrial surgery.
In majority cases A:V ratio is more than 1
resulting ventricular rate 120-200/min.
ECG: Atrial activity is seen as flutter
or F waves with saw tooth configuration, best
seen in heads 1/I, II, III
UtlT: 1) DC cardioversion with ¼ joule
1 kg almost always successful in terminaly atrial
rentry
- if DC not performed digoxin should be given
Inhibit ventricular response.
- Atrial fibrillation
Due to multiple rendtry circuitsRare
in small children
Causes: complex
anatomic defect
Advance AV valve regurgi
Pre excitation syndrome
Hyperthyroidigm
Pulmonary eribole
C/F Palpitation can be the complaint if age is above 5 years
Syncope can be due to rapid ventricular response
ECG
Atrial nerves are totally irregular and vary in size and shape
from beat to beat
Tlt: Tuitial therapy should be directed towards
lowering the ventricular rate, usually with digoxin.
Ekectuve DC cardioversion is employed formost patients with
sustained Atrial fibrillation such patient should be
anticoagulated for at least 1 weekprior to cardio in order to
prevent clot for in poorly contracting atrial tissue.
Recentry AV tachycardia
Most common mechanism of supraventricular tachycardia
Two pathways are envolved at least one of which is AV node,
connecting atria and ventricle in continous cicus type circuit
e.g. WPW syndrome
earliest understood e.g. recentry Av tachycardia accesory
bundle in bundle of kent
two types 1) arthodromic conduction to ventricle is by AV node
most commonly type of WPW
ECG: Narrow QRs retrograd wave morphology dedltawaves
Antidromic conduction to ventricle is by accessory pathway
ECG: widened QRs retrograd P wave morphology
Other accessory fibers are james and mahaim
Management:
Digoxin and verapamil have potential for aulleraty the rate of
artial conduction in accessory connection they are contra
indication
Dc condioversion for hacmodynamaically unstable patient
Supine position and vahsalva manerver for children
Tutranenous adenosine.
Surgical or cathetor ablation of accessory connection.
H) Vendtricular Tachycardia
Tachycardia that originate from myocyte or purinje cells below
the bifurcation of the common bundle of this.
Recentry mechanism account for majority of these disorders
Rare in children, but carries more serious prognosis that SVT
Deaemodynamie disadvantage arises from
- fast ventricular rate
- VT typically occurs in abnormal myocardium
withsuboptimal function.
Clinical ManifestationFor infant and
young children, symptoms of CCF may be the 1st
indication.
In order children and adolscence symptoms
include palpitation, dizzsiness shortness of
breath, synecore.
Causes
ECG Features
- QRs complex appear wide and bizzare with a P wave
that is either dissociated or arises from passive
retrograde conduction.
- Reliable sign of ventricular arrythmia is
presence of ventricular fusion complex. This is
QRs complex produced in part by normally conduct
to impulse from above and in part by ectopic
ventricular impulse.
Management: Ventricular tachycardia should
be treated as an emergency.Long Q interval
according to Baretts formula QI should not
exceed 0.44s
May be normal for 1st 6 months.
Prolonge Qic on ECG can be a marker of diffuse
abnormalities of ventricular depolarisation.
Causes
Management:-
1) Initial ltreatment
involves betablocked with
high doses of propranadol
2) Permanent pace
maker implantation.
Brandycardia
Sinus brandycardia
Rate is slower than normal for patients age and complexes are
completely normal
For newborn rate < 80/min
For children rate <70/min
May be significant
Rare in healthy children but occur is trained athletes.
Causes: ICT
Hypothyroidism
Hypothrmia
Profound hypoxia
Hyperkalemia
Digitalis
Betaadrenergic blocker
2) Sick sinus syndrome
Classically results from direct injury to SA node following
surgery of cong. Heart disease.
Operation for transposition of great vessels like mustard,
senning procedure results in max. incidence of SSS.
ECG shows slow and irregular sinus rates with variety of
escape rhythm
UE Pacemaker therapy
Object in conduction i.e. block
Envolves eigher AV node or toroximal bundle of lthis
1st Degree AvV block
every atrial beat is conducted although conduction velocity is
very slow
DN ECG there is prolonged lPC interval
Causes
Congenital Cardiac malfor
Antiarythmic onedication
Myocardial inflamation
Hypothroidism
Surgical Trauma
Requires no therapy is well tolerated condition
IInd Degree Av block
This referes to intermittant failure of conduction for single
atrial impulse
Two types (onobiz)
Type I (wenckehach)
Type II
Mobiz type I (wenckebach)
Gradual but progressive increase in P-R interval culminations
in single non conducted impulse
Usually due to conduction disorder at the level of AV node
Causes are similar to type 1 block
Well tolerated condition rarly requires tlt.
In some with symtoms
Intraneous atropine provides temporary improvement, but
pacemaker is safest long term therapy
Mobiz type II
There is no premonitory conduction delay with abrupt non
conduction atrial impulse
Usually occurs with disease of bundle of this
Causes are usually traumatic or inflamatory injury below the
level of AV node.
Sudden progression to compolete heart block may occur in this
type
Mellesiatiney higher level of conceren than does mobiz type 1.
It is rare in children when occur implantation of pacemaker
has been advised.
IIIrd degree (complete) heart block
Electrical communication between the atrial and ventricles is
completely interrupted
Atria continues to beat at their own rate. While ventricle
start beating at slower rate with impulse generating either from
AV or bundle of this
Complete dissociation of P andQRs waves
May be congenital
Aquired
Congenital complete heart block
Causes
Often 1st diagnosed in utero when slow fetal pulse
is detected on routine obstretical evaluation.
If block is seen in absence of anatomical defect, 60% mothers
will have clinical a serologic evidence of connective tissue
disorder.
Associated with fetal hydrops or death
In most cases fetus adapts to slow heart rate
Short term progress of these patient is generally good, the
long term progrosis is guarded.
Risk factors for poor outcome.
- Ventricular rate < 55/min for neonates
- Prolonged gT interval
- Wide QRs
- Ventricular ectopy
- Advanced cardioongaly tlt pacemaker implantation to all
symptesmative patient
Acquired complete AV block
Most common etiology of this in pediatric age group is direct
injuryto conduction tissues during cardiac surgery
orcatheterisation
1/3rd cases of traumatic block are transient,
requiring only temporary pacing.
If improvement is not observed within 6 10 days,
recovery becomes unlikely. Permanent pacingis tlt of chercl.
Clinical Manifestation:
Older Children:- commonly and asymptomative attacks of
syneapure may occur
Older infant:- night terror tiredness with frequent naps.
Errilability
Pleripheral pulse is prominent
Cannon waves.
Pharmacologic Therapy for arrythmia
Drugs are classified according to their effect on action
potentia of cardiac cell
Proposed by Williams
Class I Local anaesthetic agents
Sodium channel blocks reduces upstroke velocity of phase in
atrial, ventricular and parkinje cells.
Classified into 3 types depemding upto their effect on
upstroke conduction velocity and repolarisation
Class I A es phase O upstroke prolonges conduction
velosity
Stones repolarisation
On ELG prolongs QRs and QT intoinve
e.g. Quinidine
procainamide
Disopyramide
Primary used for tlt of atrial flutter, filrillatio
neutricular fibriuation
Quinidine most used
IA drug
Dose 15-60 mg (ka) day divided in 4 doses
Class I B es Glope of phase O
Es duration of action potential
e.g. lidocaine, mexiletine phenytain
used for suplpression of most forms of ventricular arrythmia
well suited for long a-T syndrome
e.g Uudocaine due to rapid hepatic metabolism only IV use
Loading dose 1 mg tlkq 1 dose
Every 10 min upto 3 dos
Maintain anoe 20-50 mg 1 k /min
Class IC e.g. fleainide
Marked depression of phase O
No influence on repolarisation and duration of action
potential they are potent inhibitors of abnormal automaticity and
recentry in atrial, ventricular muscles.
But due to relatively high pro arrythomic potential, use
should be reserved for life threatening arythmia not responding
to other tlt modalities.
Class Beta blockers e.g. propranolo Alcnolol mechanism
of action.
- competative inhibition of catecholaimine binding at
cardiac receptors
- prolongs duration of the action portential and effective
reracler period.
Class III e.g. Amiodarone sotalol Bretylium
Prolongs action potential platau with out affecting phase O
Bretylium: unique
Antiarythmic with automanic effect conc. At sympathetic nerve
ends causing acute release of Noradrenative followed by block
ofnoradrenative release.
Most imp. Clinical application is for the treatment of
ventricular fibrillation in cardiac arrest.
Initial 5 ma 1 kg slowly over 15 min. the drip of 20-50
mg/h/min
Class IV Calcium channel blocker acts predominantly on
slow calcium current cells of SA and AV node. So decrease phase
and automaticity.
Action on fast response potential is negligible
e.g. Verapaniul, most common clinical use is in
supracentricular tachycardia nerapamic is unsafe in infants
because of brachycardia and hypoten dose 1-10 mg/kg/day 8 hourly
Miscellaeneous drugs
- diagnoxin as an antriarrythm agent, it is used for its
action on AV node
- useful in sypraventricular tachycardia to lower down the
ventricular rate
- doses Orally
digilalisationneonate
0.03 mg/kg
child 0.04 mg/kg
divided in 3 doses
over 24 hours and
maintaince dose is 1/4th
of above
IV digitalisation and maintenance 80% of above
Intoxication
- sinus brandycardia
- disturbances in AV condn.
- Nausea
Management of ltoxicity
Withold drug
Correct hypo kalemi, hypercaleum
Use of diagoxic specific tab.
- Adenosine promising drug in abrupt terminaton of
supravenity cells tachycardia
It is endogenous neucloside found in all cells of
body.
When administered by so lrapid bolus, impairs AV conduction
Promptly removed by RBCD and dothetial cells. Resulting in
half life of lets thant 10 seconds
Dose 0.03 0.25 mg/kg
By rapid IV bolus
PACEMAKER THERAPY FOR ORRYTHMIA
Previously cardiac pacemakers were implanted for sole purpose
ofrelleiving brandycardia. Butnow pacekaker, are capable of
treating both body cardia and trachycardia including automative
defrillation for malignan rhythm disorder
Size of pacemaker has been drastically reduced
Life ofbatteries has been prolonged
[A] Permanent pacing leads an important techniiques
fore between pacemaker lead and cardiac tissue is most crucial
component of pacemaker system.
Lead must be positioned in atrium and lor, ventricle, such
that there is proper sensation function.
Epicardial leads
Endocardial leads
[B] Generators and pacing modes
Recently all generators are of demand type i.e. they operate
according to subtle variation on this basic demand theme.
Shorthand notion of 3-5 letters has been developed to describe
various pacing modes.
1st letter indicates chamber paced
2nd letter indicates chamber sensed
3rd letter describes units respose to sensed event
last 2 letters are for the specialised pacing options like
rate modulations and autitacly cancha function.
Surgical and transcathelor therapy for arrythmia
Any arrythmia that involves a discret focus or abnormal
pathway is amenable to these thchniques.
e.g. WPW syndrome
ectopic atrial tachycardia
mahaim fibers
successful arrythmia surgery hinges upon accurate mapping of
abnormal focus or pathway which can be done with the help of
surface ECG and preperative electrophysiologic study.
Direct surgical dissection or local freezing with a cryoprobe
are surgical techniques being used commonly.
Translatheror
Method to destroy arrythmia fall with the tip of specialised
cathetors at the time of intracardiac electrophysiologic study
Energy forms used are OC shock, radicfrequency energy laser.