[Differential diagnosis of a narrow QRS tachycardia]

The differential diagnosis of a narrow QRS tachycardia requires on the one hand knowledge about the clinical data of the tachycardia patient but on the other hand a systematic step by step analysis of the electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most successful approach. Apart from the question of regularity or irregularity of the QRS complexes, the presence and detection of P waves is also of importance. The P wave timing in relation to the preceding and the following QRS complexes as well as the numerical relationship of P waves and QRS complexes allow a well-founded suspected diagnosis to be achieved in most cases. Even the differentiation between atrioventricular (AV) nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) versus orthodromic AV reentrant tachycardia (AVRT), e.g. by accessory leads, is in most cases possible in a surface ECG. Obviously, there are constellations which need an invasive electrophysiological procedure for a definitive diagnosis.