Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

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Conduction system of the heart

Preexcitation syndrome; WPW

A person with WPW syndrome may have:

• Palpitations (a sensation of feeling your heart beat)
• Light-headedness
• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or chest tightness

An exam performed during a tachycardia episode will reveal a heart rate greater than 150 (normal is 60 to 100 beats per minute), and blood pressure that is normal or low. If  the patient is currently not having tachycardia, the physical exam may be completely normal. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome may be revealed by the following tests:

• ECG (electrocardiogram)
• Continuous ambulatory monitoring (Holter monitor)
• EPS , an intracardiac electrophysiologic study

Review Date: 05/30/2006
Reviewed By: Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review provided byVeriMed Healthcare Network.