Antidromic Reciprocating Tachycardia
Pronunciation: an-ti-DROM-ik
A form of AVRT where conduction travels down the accessory pathway and returns via the AV node, producing a wide QRS complex.
Full Definition
Antidromic reciprocating tachycardia (ART) is a type of atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia that uses an accessory pathway for antegrade conduction from atria to ventricles, with retrograde conduction occurring through the AV node-His-Purkinje system. This creates a wide QRS complex because ventricular activation occurs via the accessory pathway rather than the normal conduction system. ART is less common than orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia and can be challenging to distinguish from ventricular tachycardia based on surface ECG alone. The term 'antidromic' refers to conduction in the opposite direction to the usual pathway.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate 'antidromic' compounds. Use 'antidromic AVRT' as acceptable abbreviation.
In Context
- "The wide-complex tachycardia was confirmed as antidromic reciprocating tachycardia during EP study." — Diagnostic report
- "Antidromic reciprocating tachycardia was successfully terminated with radiofrequency ablation of the accessory pathway." — Procedure note