PVCs coupled to long series of normal cycles is called?

PVCs coupled to long series of normal cycles is called?

• A. Ventricular tachycardia
• B. Ventricular parasystole
• C. Ventricular bigeminy
• D. Ventricular trigeminy

Answer: (B)

The term that describes PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) occurring alongside a long series of normal cycles is known as ventricular parasystole. In this scenario, there are two distinct pacemaker sites within the heart: one is the normal sinus node that maintains regular rhythmic activity, while the other is an ectopic focus that generates PVCs. This electrical activity can cause the PVCs to occur in a manner that is not influenced by the usual conduction pathways, leading to the characteristic pattern seen with ventricular parasystole, where the ectopic focus fires independently.

Understanding ventricular parasystole is crucial as it helps differentiate this condition from others that exhibit PVCs in a more regular or patterned manner, such as bigeminy or trigeminy. In contrast, bigeminy refers to a situation where every second heartbeat is a PVC, creating a repetitive cycle, while trigeminy indicates that a PVC occurs after every two normal beats. Ventricular tachycardia, on the other hand, describes a rapid succession of three or more PVCs occurring in a row, indicating a more serious and distinct cardiac rhythm disorder.