Atrioventricular nodal tachycardia occurring during atrial fibrillation

We describe the case of a 32-year-old woman with palpitations and atrial fi brillation (AF) as the only documented arrhythmia. The patient underwent el ectrophysiologic study and was found to have inducible AV nodal reentrant t achycardia (AVNRT). During a prolonged episode of AVNRT, AF developed in bo th atria, but AVNRT persisted. Dissociation of the atria during AVNRT is ev idence that the atrium is not necessary in AVNRT. This case also illustrate s the utility of an electrophysiologic study in locating a potentially cura ble arrhythmia as the primary cause of AF in young patients.