On the mechanisms of ventricular tachycardia acceleration during programmed electrical stimulation.

Abstract

With the observations made in the experimental model, the following tentative classification of the mechanisms of VT acceleration of the 22 episodes was made: 1) induction of double-wave reentry in two, 2) change to a functionally determined circuit in four, and 3) change to reentry within a faster anatomic circuit in 16. Simple criteria suggest that these mechanisms may apply in the clinical situation.