Differential diagnosis of wide-complex tachycardia: ventricular or supraventricular?
Stefano Bordignon1, Boris Rudic2, Alexander Langanke Kohls3
1Klinik für Innere Medizin 1, Varisano Klinikum Frankfurt Höchst, Gotenstraße 6-8, 65929, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Stefano.bordignon@varisano.de.
Abstract:
Wide-complex tachycardia (WCT) represents one of the most challenging diagnoses in clinical cardiology and emergency medicine, requiring rapid and accurate differentiation between ventricular tachycardia (VT) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) with aberrant conduction. Misclassification carries significant clinical consequences, as the two entities differ substantially in prognosis and management. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the electrocardiographic approach to the differential diagnosis of WCT, with particular focus on the physiological rationale underlying the diagnostic criteria included in the major diagnostic algorithms. A thorough understanding of these electrocardiographic principles remains essential for any physician encountering WCT in clinical practice.
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