Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Tachycardia-Induced Cardiomyopathy As a Chronic Heart Failure Model in Swine
Published on: February 17, 2018
P-wave duration and P-wave dispersion in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy
Kubilay Senen1, Hasan Turhan, Ali Riza Erbay
1Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Ankara, Turkey.
Background:
P-wave dispersion (PWD) has been reported to be associated with inhomogeneous and discontinuous propagation of sinus impulses. In the present study, we aimed to investigate PWD in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.
Method:
The study population consisted of 72 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and 72 healthy control subjects. Left atrial diameter, left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters and left ventricular ejection fraction of all patients and control subjects were measured by means of transthoracic echocardiography. Maximum P-wave duration (Pmaximum) and minimum P-wave duration (Pminimum) were measured from the 12-lead surface electrocardiogram. PWD was calculated as the difference between Pmaximum and Pminimum.
Results:
Pmaximum and PWD of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy were significantly higher than those of control subjects (Pmaximum: 126+/-12 ms vs. 116+/-10 ms, PWD: 47+/-6 ms vs. 38+/-7 ms, respectively, P<0.001 for all). However, there was no statistically significant difference between patient group and control group regarding Pminimum (79+/-7 ms vs. 78+/-6 ms, respectively, P=0.27). Left atrial diameter was significantly higher in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy compared to control subjects (4.51+/-0.62 cm vs. 3.60+/-0.43 cm, respectively, P<0.001). Left ventricular ejection fraction was found to be significantly lower in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy compared to control subjects (33+/-5% vs. 63+/-7%, respectively, P<0.001).
Conclusion:
PWD was found to be significantly higher in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy than in healthy control subjects.
Related Concept Videos
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Correlation between ECG and Cardiac Cycle
A cardiac action potential originates in the SA node and spreads throughout the atria and the AV node in approximately 0.03 seconds. This results in the P wave in an ECG and triggers atrial contraction. The action potential is then briefly slowed at the AV node, allowing the atria to contract and fill the ventricles with blood before...
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Cardiac Action Potential
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials
Cardiomyopathy I: Introduction and Classification
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
