atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia
Last reviewed 01/2018
Re-entrant tachycardias may occur if there is a second electrical connection between the atria and the ventricles.
A circuit of depolarisation occurs during the tachycardia which travels down one path and back up the other.
If the abnormal pathway is part of the AV node the tachycardia is termed an AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia.
If the abnormal pathway is functionally distinct from the AV node then the tachycardia is termed an AV re-entrant tachycardia.