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Narrow QRS Ventricular Tachycardia
- John J. Hayes, MD;
- Robert B. Stewart, MD;
- H. Leon Greene, MD; and
- Gust H. Bardy, MD
Abstract
Objective: To determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of narrow QRS ventricular tachycardia (QRS duration ≤ 0.11 seconds).
Design: Consecutive survey of patients with ventricular tachycardia.
Setting: Tertiary, referral-based arrhythmia service at a university medical center.
Patients: Sequential sample of patients with inducible ventricular tachycardia who had a 12-lead electrocardiogram of the tachycardia available for review.
Measurements and Main Results: Of 106 patients with ventricular tachycardia, 5 (4.7%; 95% CI, 2.1% to 10.6%) had ventricular tachycardia with a QRS duration ≤ 0.11 seconds. Three of the five patients were previously incorrectly diagnosed as having supraventricular tachycardia. AU five patients had at least two electrocardiographic findings other than QRS duration to suggest ventricular tachycardia.
Conclusions: Narrow QRS ventricular tachycardia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of narrow QRS tachycardias. Electrocardiographic findings other than QRS duration are usually present to suggest the diagnosis.
Article and Author Information
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From the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. For current author addresses, see end of text.
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Grant Support: In part by grants 36170 and 31472 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
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Requests for Reprints: John J. Hayes, MD, Mail Stop RG-22, University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 NE Pacific, Seattle, WA 98195.
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Current Author Addresses: Drs. Hayes, Greene, and Bardy: Mail Stop RG-22, University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 NE Pacific, Seattle, WA 98195.
Dr. Stewart: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
- © 1991 American College of Physicians
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