Multifocal atrial tachycardia

MAT Multifocal atrial tachycardia (Click on the images for a larger view) Multifocal atrial tachycardia is defined as three or more different types of P waves occurring at a rate more than 100 per minute. In the second rhythm strip there is a pause before the onset of sinus rhythm after the tachycardia terminates. This could be due to down regulation of the If current (funny current or pacemaker current) in the sinus node due to the tachycardia or due to a block atrial ectopic beat which is not very evident as it is superimposed on the T wave. Multifocal atrial tachycardia and blocked atrial ectopic beat (Click on the images for a larger view) Sinus rhythm is seen in the middle portion of the ECG, while tachycardia is seen at both ends. Following the fourth beat in the rhythm strip, there is a pause due to a non conducted atrial ectopic beat (blocked atrial ectopic). The nearest differential diagnosis of a multifocal atrial tachycardia is atrial fibrillation (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in this case). Multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT) can occur in those with chronic obstructive lung disease [1]. Multifocal atrial tachycardia is sometimes called as chaotic atrial rhythm because of the variability in atrial activity. Ikaria study which evaluated the natural history of multifocal atrial rhythms in an elderly outpatient population showed that these rhythms are not associated with excess mortality in the elderly as in multifocal atrial tachycardias of hospitalised patient...
Source: Cardiophile MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: ECG / Electrophysiology ECG Library chaotic atrial rhythm chronic obstructive lung disease MAT multifocal atrial rhythms Multifocal atrial tachycardia Source Type: blogs