COPY of Blog #503 — Cause of a Pause- EXTRA COPY

 

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NOTE: I’ve decided to update and republish several of my favorite cases from years past. (Today's post is an improved version of ECG Blog #14 — first published in 2011).

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QUESTION: Interpret the Lead MCL-1 rhythm strip that is shown below in Figure-1.

• What is the cause of the pauses in this tracing?  Is there AV block?
• Why is the PR interval preceding beat #7 shorter than the PR for other sinus beats?

Figure-1: What is the cause of the pauses? (between beats #2-3 and between #6-7).

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INTERPRETATION: The rhythm in Figure-1 is irregular in a pattern of group beating (with short pauses between beats #2-3 and #6-7). The QRS complex is narrow (ie, not more than half a large box in duration). The underlying rhythm appears to be sinus, with similar-looking P waves showing a fixed PR interval preceding beats #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 in this right-sided Lead MCL-1 rhythm strip.

• Despite the presence of group beating — there is no evidence of Wenckebach or other form of AV block on this tracing.  Instead, the "cause" of the pause lies within the T waves of beats #2 and 6.

The Most Common Cause of a Pause: 

Although most premature supraventricular beats (PACs or PJCs) are conducted normally to the ventricles (ie, with a narrow QRS complex) — this is not always the case.  Instead, PACs (or PJCs) may sometimes occur so early in the cycle as to be "blocked" (non-conducted) — because the conduction system is still in an absolute refractory state.

• This is the situation for premature impulse A in schematic Figure-2 (which shows A occurring during the ARP = Absolute Refractory Period).

Figure-2: Absolute and Relative Refractory Periods (ARP & RRP) — explaining why beat A is blocked — and beat B is conducted with aberration.

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• At other times — premature (early) beats may occur during the RRP (Relative Refractory Period) — in which case aberrantconduction (with a wide and different-looking QRS) occurs.  This is the situation for premature impulse B in Figure 2.  Because impulse B occurs during the RRP — part (but not all) of the ventricular conduction system has recovered. Most often PACs occurring at Point B will conduct with some form of bundle branch block and/or hemiblock (reflecting that part of the conduction system which has not yet recovered).

• Premature impulse C in Figure 2 occurs after the refractory period is over.  As a result — a PAC occurring at Point C will conduct normally (with a narrow QRS that looks identical to other sinus beats on the tracing).

KEY Clinical Point: 

The most common cause of a pause is a blocked PAC (corresponding to a PAC occurring at Point A in Figure 2). Blocked PACs occur much more often than any form of AV block.

• Blocked PACs are often subtle and difficult to detect. That said — they will be found IF looked for (they'll often be hiding/notching a part of the preceding T wave).

Returning to the Questions in this Case: 

We illustrate our Answers in Figure 3:

• The cause of the pause in this case is a blocked PAC (arrow in the T wave of beat #6 highlights the "telltale notching" of a PAC buried in this T wave).  A similar very early-occurring PAC (corresponding to a PAC at point B in Figure 2 can be seen notching the T wave of beat #2).
• The occurrence of a PAC resets the sinus cycle, usually with a brief pause after the early beat. The reason the PR interval preceding beat #7 is shorter - is that beat #7 is a junctional escape beat that occurs just before before the P wave that precedes it is able to conduct to the ventricles. Normal sinus rhythm then resumes with beat #8.
• Finally - is the subtle finding that the escape interval preceding beat #3 (ie, the distance between beats #2-3) is slight longer than the distance between beats #6-7. This accounts for why beat #3 is sinus-conducted (with a normal PR interval) — whereas slightly earlier occurring beat #7 is a junctional escape beat (that occurs just before the P wave preceding it is able to conduct to the ventricles).

Figure-3: Answer to Figure-1.

BOTTOM Line: 

The commonest cause of a pause is a blocked PAC. Remembering this truism will hopefully remind you to always look carefully in the T wave at the onset of all pauses to see if the "telltale" notching of a blocked PAC is in hiding. 

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From ECG Blog #57

https://ecg-interpretation.blogspot.com/2012/12/ecg-interpretation-review-57-mobitz-i.html

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Interpret the lead MCL-1 rhythm strip shown in Figure 1.

• Does this rhythm represent Mobitz I (Wenckebach) or Mobitz II AV block?
• Is a pacemaker likely to be needed? 

Figure 1: Lead MCL-1 rhythm strip. Is this Mobitz I or Mobitz II? 

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INTERPRETATION:  Neither Mobitz I nor Mobitz II is present. Rather than AV block – the rhythm in Figure 1 is an insightful example of the “mischief” that blocked PACs (Premature Atrial Contractions) can cause, especially when PACs are frequent.

     We have previously reviewed the basics of the 2nd degree AV blocks (See ECG Blog #19 – Blog #20 – Blog #21 – and Blog #22). Essential to the diagnosis that some type of AV block is present are 2 ECG findings:

• Finding #1: A consistent underlying atrial rhythm (usually sinus) – which is established by similar morphology of P waves on the tracing. Occasional PACs or junctional beats may be seen – but constantly changing P wave morphology is much more suggestive of other phenomena (wandering pacemaker; sinus pauses or arrest; multifocal atrial tachycardia) than of “AV block”.
• Finding #2: A regular (or at least fairly regular) atrial rhythm should be seen when some form of AV block is present. Clearly – there may be underlying sinus arrhythmia. In addition – slight variation in regularity of the underlying sinus rhythm may be the result of the AV block itself (known as “ventriculophasic sinus arrhythmia”) – in which the P‑P interval tends to shorten for P waves that sandwich a QRS complex (thought to be due to transiently increased perfusion immediately following ventricular contraction). However, gross variation in the P‑P interval is usually not seen when the primary problem is AV block.

WHY FIGURE 1 is Not AV BLOCK: AV block is not present in Figure 1 – because the above 2 ECG findings are absent. This becomes obvious in Figure 2, in which red arrows highlight each P wave:

Figure 2: Red arrows highlight each P wave in Figure 1.

• P wave morphology changes in Figure 1 (and in Figure 2). Sinus P waves are seen as a biphasic (small pointed positive followed by rounded negative) deflection preceding beats #1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. In contrast – P waves buried within the ST-T wave of beats #1-thru-6 are triphasic (small negative-then positive-then narrow negative) deflections that clearly look different in morphology than the sinus P waves. These triphasic-deflection P waves arise from an atrial site other than the sinus node.
• Red arrows in Figure 2 make it obvious that the P-P interval varies. In fact there is a pattern to this P‑P variation (alternating short-long cycles) produced by the fact that every-other-P wave is early (premature). The underlying rhythm is atrial bigeminy (every other beat is a PAC).

PEARL: The Commonest Cause of a Pause is a Blocked PAC

     We introduced the concept of “blocked” PACs in ECG Blog #14. Depending at what point within the refractory period a premature beat occurs – a PAC may conduct: i) Normally; ii) With aberrant conduction (if part of the ventricular conduction system is still refractory); or iii) The PAC may occur so early as to fall within the absolute refractory period when no conduction is possible. This is what is occurring in Figure 2 – in which every-other-P-wave is blocked (non-conducted)!

• The commonest cause of a pause is a blocked PAC!  Blocked PACs are far more common than any form of heart block. Although sometimes subtle – blocked PACs can be identified if looked for. Close inspection of T waves at the beginning of a relative pause will usually reveal a notch or other small deformity not evident in the T waves of normally conducted sinus beats.

BEYOND-the-CORE: What is Happening with Beat #7?

     Unlike the PACs occurring within the T waves of beats #1-thru-5 (which are non-conducted) – the PAC that notches the T wave of beat #6 is conducted (ie, beat #7)!

• The reason for QRS widening and the different QRS morphology of beat #7 – is that this PAC conducts with LBBB (Left Bundle Branch Block) aberration. It presumably occurs during the RRP (Relative Refractory Period) – as illustrated in Figure 2 of ECG Blog #14.
• The reason for the longer-than-anticipated PR interval preceding beat #7 – is that the PAC that occurs within the T wave of beat #6 encounters a still partially refractory AV node, resulting in delay of conduction to the ventricles.

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BOTTOM LINE: The commonest cause of a pause is a blocked PAC. Remembering to think of this truism whenever you assess a tracing for possible AV block will prove invaluable in uncovering the real reason for the rhythm disturbance in a surprising number of cases. Blocked PACs occur far more often than any form of AV block.

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