Which condition leads to premature depolarization of the ventricles?

Which condition leads to premature depolarization of the ventricles?

• A. Ventricular tachycardia
• B. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
• C. Myocardial infarction
• D. Atrial flutter

Answer: (B)

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is characterized by the presence of an accessory conduction pathway, known as the Bundle of Kent, which bypasses the normal delay at the atrioventricular (AV) node. This accessory pathway allows for rapid depolarization of the ventricles, leading to premature ventricular depolarization.

In individuals with this condition, impulses can travel down the accessory pathway to the ventricles, causing them to depolarize earlier than they would during a normal conduction pathway. This results in a wide QRS complex on an EKG due to the early activation of the ventricles. The presence of this abnormal conduction is crucial in understanding how premature depolarization occurs in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, contrasting it with other arrhythmias which may not involve this specific mechanism of accessory conduction.

In summary, the unique conduction pathways involved in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome explicitly lead to premature depolarization of the ventricles, making it the correct choice in this scenario.