Journal of Arrhythmia (Jun 2014)

Monophasic action potential duration alternans after abrupt shortening of the cardiac cycle in humans

  • Kazumasa Sonoda, MD,
  • Ichiro Watanabe, MD,
  • Yasuo Okumura, MD,
  • Naoko Sasaki, MD,
  • Rikitake Kogawa, MD,
  • Keiko Takahashi, MD,
  • Hiroaki Mano, MD,
  • Masayoshi Kofune, MD,
  • Kimie Ohkubo, MD,
  • Toshiko Nakai, MD,
  • Satoshi Kunimoto, MD,
  • Atsushi Hirayama, MD

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joa.2013.06.005
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 30, no. 3
pp. 204 – 207

Abstract

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Background: Action potential alternans may be important in causing ventricular arrhythmias. Methods and results: We recorded monophasic action potentials from the right ventricular endocardium in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation who underwent internal atrial defibrillation during rapid ventricular pacing. In 3 of 45 patients, monophasic action potential duration alternans was observed at a pacing cycle length ≤350 ms. Conclusion: Action potential alternans is not a rare phenomenon (6.6%) in humans.

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