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Cardiac automaticity: basic concepts and clinical observations

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this report was to review the basic mechanisms underlying cardiac automaticity. Second, we describe our clinical observations related to the anatomical and functional characteristics of sinus automaticity.

Methods

We first reviewed the main discoveries regarding the mechanisms responsible for cardiac automaticity. We then analyzed our clinical experience regarding the location of sinus automaticity in two unique populations: those with inappropriate sinus tachycardia and those with a dominant pacemaker located outside the crista terminalis region.

Results

We studied 26 patients with inappropriate sinus tachycardia (age 34 ± 8 years; 21 females). Non-contact endocardial mapping (Ensite 3000, Endocardial Solutions) was performed in 19 patients and high-density contact mapping (Carto-3, Biosense Webster with PentaRay catheter) in 7 patients. The site of earliest atrial activation shifted after each RF application within and outside the crista terminalis region, indicating a wide distribution of atrial pacemaker sites. We also analyzed 11 patients with dominant pacemakers located outside the crista terminalis (age 27 ± 7 years; five females). In all patients, the rhythm was the dominant pacemaker both at rest and during exercise and located in the right atrial appendage in 6 patients, in the left atrial appendage in 4 patients, and in the mitral annulus in 1 patient. Following ablation, earliest atrial activation shifted to the region of the crista terminalis at a slower rate.

Conclusions

Membrane and sub-membrane mechanisms interact to generate cardiac automaticity. The present observations in patients with inappropriate sinus tachycardia and dominant pacemakers are consistent with a wide distribution of pacemaker sites within and outside the boundaries of the crista terminalis.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electrophysiology Department, Sanatorio Otamendi and Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Hector M. Vetulli

  2. Academia Nacional de Medicina, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Marcelo V Elizari

  3. Clinical Electrophysiology, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State University Heart and Vascular Institute, Penn State University College of Medicine, 500 University Dr. Room H 1344K, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA

    Gerald V. Naccarelli & Mario D. Gonzalez

Authors
  1. Hector M. Vetulli
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  2. Marcelo V Elizari
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  3. Gerald V. Naccarelli
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  4. Mario D. Gonzalez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mario D. Gonzalez.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Naccarelli is a consultant to Janssen, Glaxo Smith Kline, and Omeicos. He has a research grant from Janssen. Dr. Gonzalez is a consultant to Janssen and Biosense Webster. He has an educational grant from Biosense Webster.

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The manuscript has not been published previous in part or full and has not been submitted to any other journal. All the information is original and no part of the text has been copied from another manuscript.

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Vetulli, H.M., Elizari, M.V., Naccarelli, G.V. et al. Cardiac automaticity: basic concepts and clinical observations. J Interv Card Electrophysiol 52, 263–270 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-018-0423-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-018-0423-2

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