Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:dateCreated
1992-3-2
pubmed:abstractText
In view of the broad spectrum of arrhythmias and their considerable spontaneous variability, there is a need for a classification of arrhythmias as a basis for scientific and clinical decision making. From the clinical point of view, a classification should consider (a) hemodynamic consequences, (b) prognostic significance of arrhythmias, and (c) should allow assessment of efficacy of antiarrhythmic treatment. Hemodynamic consequences of tachycardias are related to the degree of heart rate: The shorter the RR interval the shorter the diastolic filling period, resulting in a decrease of the stroke volume and--above a critical heart rate--in a decrease of the cardiac output. The critical heart rate, on the other hand, is essentially related to the functional status of the heart: The more pronounced the cardiac impairment, the lower the critical heart rate. A second factor favoring hemodynamic impairment due to arrhythmias is the loss of the sequence of atrioventricular contractions. Despite the clinical relevance of hemodynamic consequences of arrhythmias, there is no accepted classification taking these aspects into account. In the past, more interest was directed toward the prognostic significance of arrhythmias. In 1971, Lown and Wolf published a classification of ventricular arrhythmias, assigning risk to advanced grades. This proposal, as those from others, took into account arrhythmias of ventricular origin only. The major concern about the Lown classification, however, relates to the consequences of maximal grading: a patient is assigned to a grade depending on the highest ranking. Thus, a person can only be in one grade, leaving all other arrhythmias grouped below as well as the true frequency of ventricular arrhythmia obscure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0160-2446
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
17 Suppl 6
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
S13-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1991
pubmed:articleTitle
Classification of arrhythmias.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Internal Medicine, Municipal Hospital of Neumuenster, F.R.G.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review