Causes And Complications Linked To Sick Sinus Syndrome

Sinoatrial Block

A sinoatrial block is a disruption in the normal heart rhythm that may occur in individuals with sick sinus syndrome. A healthy heart has an initial action impulse generated in the sinoatrial node and carried through the heart's upper chambers or atria. The impulse then moves down the internodal atrial pathways to the atrioventricular (AV) node, and it travels through the AV bundle triggering the contraction of the lower chambers of the heart or ventricles. In individuals affected by sinoatrial block, the impulse fired by the sinoatrial node is blocked or delayed on its way to atria or the upper chambers of the heart. This interruption of the electrical impulse causes a lag between the time the sinoatrial node fires off the impulse, to the time when the atria depolarize and contract. Depending on the degree of the sinoatrial block, the electrical impulses may or may not move from the atria and reach the ventricles. Individuals affected by a sinoatrial block are asymptomatic, or they will experience spells of dizziness from bradycardia precipitated by the blockage.

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