[Ventricular pre-excitation in old age associated with severe troubles of a-v conduction (author's transl)]

The Authors describe two cases of old people with syncopal crises in which the appearance of ventricular pre-excitement (WPW) is a new phenomenon associated with the progressing of severe troubles in A-V conduction, sometimes only shown by endocavitary electrophysiologic test. The appearance of accessory pathways latent or functionally dumb up to that time might be a substitutive mechanism in the attempt of counterbalacing serious deficiences of A-V conduction. In these patients special care is necessary in the use of antiarrhythmic drugs and in the interpretation of syncopal troubles in order to prescribe a correct therapy.