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Updated: Sep 24 2016

Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia

Snapshot
  • A 68-year-old patient presents to the emergency department with acute respiratory distress. In addition to his difficulty breathing, he complains of intermittent palpitations for the past three months. His EKG is shown. 
Introduction
  • Multiple concurrent atrial pacemakers or re-entrant pathways
  • Usually found in patients with COPD or other structural heart damage
Presentation
  • Symptoms
    • may be asymptomatic
    • can present with COPD 
  • Physical exam
    • often hypoxic at baseline
Evaluation
  • EKG
    • tachycardia
      • distinguishes it from Wandering pacemaker rhythm
    • 3+ distinct P wave morphologies in 1 rhythm strip 
                     
 
Differential
  • Atrial flutter with an irregular ventricular response, atrial fibrillation on physical exam, SVT, ventricular tachycardia
Treatment
  • Verapamil and/or  β-blockers
    • used for rate-control and to suppress atrial pacemakers
  • Treat the underlying condition
Prognosis, Prevention, and Complications
  • Prognosis
    • some patients return to baseline state with proper rate control
  • Prevention
    • careful monitoring of all electrolyte disorders including hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, and drug therapy
    • patient education
Question
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