Etiology

• extranodal accessory conduction pathway the directly connects the atria and ventricles, bypassing the AV node

 

Implications

• not all patients with WPW pattern on EKG will become symptomatic
• patients with WPW pattern are at increased disk of developing atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia

Triad of EKG changes

• short PR interval
• delta wave (upstroke of the QRS complex)
• wide QRS complex

 

 

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The Compendium platform was created by David Kwinter, MD, CCFP(EM).