[Arrhythmias in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (author's transl)]

The clinical relevance of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is determined by the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias due to the syndrome. Occurrence and severity of the cardiac arrhythmias are mainly dependant on the electrophysiological properties of the accessory atrioventricular bypass or the refractory period of the regular and irregular pathways respectively. Programmed electrical stimulation allows the study of these properties directly in man. The treatment in patients with WPW syndrome suffering from re-entry tachyarrhythmias should be directed to an interruption of the tachycardia circuit. During sinus rhythm a suppression of spontaneously occurring ectopic beats which may initiate a tachycardia is indicated.