T-wave alternans
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Introduction
beat to beat variability in the shape of EKG T-waves
Laboratory
Clinical significance
- reflects heterogeneity in ventricular repolarization, a mechanism of re-entry arrhythmias[1][2]
- lack of T-wave alternans identifies patients with ischemic heart disease or non-ischemic cardiomyopathy at low risk for sudden cardiac death
- presence does not identify patients at high risk[3][4]
More general terms
Additional terms
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Smith JM et al. Electrial alternans and cardiac electrical instability Circulation 1988, 77110 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3335062
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rosenbaum DS et al, Electrical alternans and vulnerability to ventricular arrhythmias. N Engl J Med 1004, 330:235 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8272084
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Narayan SM, T-wave alternans and the susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias. J Am Coll Cardiol 2006, 47:269 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16412847
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Salerno-Uriarte et al, Prognostic value of T-wave alternans in patients with heart failure due to nonischemic cardiomyopathy: Results of the ALPHA study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2007, 50:1896 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17980258
- ↑ Wikipedia: T wave alternans http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_wave_alternans