ATRIAL VULNERABILITY - WHAT INFORMATION C AN BE OBTAINED FROM THE STUDY OF ATRIAL VULNERABILITY - HOW TO PERFORM THIS INVESTIGATION

The factors involved in atrial vulnerability are the presence of intra -atrial conduction disorders and abnormalities of refractory periods w hich are short, dispersed and poorly adapted to heart rate. All these factors are arrhythmogenic. The main value of the study of atrial vuln erability consists of investigation of unexplained ischaemic cerebrova scular accidents in young subjects. In practice, atrial vulnerability can be measured in the context of a classical endocavitary electrophys iological investigation. The stimulation and recording parameters must be standardized. Latent atrial vulnerability can be considered to be present when at least one of the following elements are found: signifi cant inducibility, very short and poorly adapted effective refractory periods, decreased latent atrial vulnerability index.