Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome

Content provided by National Organization for Rare Disorders

Important

It is possible that the main title of the report Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Accessory Atrioventricular Pathways
• Preexcitation Syndrome
• WPW Syndrome

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a rare congenital heart disorder involving irregularities in the electrical system of the heart. In individuals with WPW syndrome, an abnormal alternate electrical pathway (accessory pathway), exists between the atrium and the ventricle, resulting in abnormal heartbeat rhythms (arrhythmias) and faster than normal heartbeats (tachycardia).



The normal heart has four chambers. The two upper chambers are the atria and the two lower chambers are the ventricles. Within the right atrium of a normal heart is a natural pacemaker that initiates and controls the heartbeat. The electrical stimulus travels from the pacemaker (sinoatrial or SA node) to the ventricles along a specific pathway consisting of conducting tissue and known as the AV (atrioventricular) node. The extra electrical pathway in individuals with WPW syndrome bypasses the normal route and causes the ventricles to beat earlier than normal (preexcitation) and can allow electrical impulses to be conducted in both directions (i.e., from the atria to the ventricles and from the ventricles to the atria).

Resources

American Heart Association

National Center

7272 Greenville Avenue

Dallas, TX 75231-4596

Tel: (214)373-6300

Fax: (214)373-0268

Tel: (800)242-8721

Email: inquire@heart.org

Internet: http://www.americanheart.org



Congenital Heart Anomalies, Support, Education, & Resources

2112 North Wilkins Road

Swanton, OH 43558

Tel: (419)825-5575

Fax: (419)825-2880

Email: chaser@compuserve.com

Internet: http://www.csun.edu/~hcmth011/chaser/chaser-news.html



NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Information Center

P.O. Box 30105

Bethesda, MD 20824-0105

Tel: (301)592-8573

Fax: (301)251-1223

Email: nhlbiinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov



Cardiomyopathy Association

40 The Metro Centre

Tolpits Lane

Watford

Hertfordshire, Intl WD1 8SB

United Kingdom

Tel: 01441923249977

Fax: 01441923249987

Email: info@caridiomyopathy.org

Internet: http://www.cardiomyopathy.org



HOPE (The Heart of Pediatric Electrophysiology)

PO Box 519

Park Ridge, NJ 07565

Tel: (201)505-9383

Fax: (201)505-0920

Tel: (877)394-4673

Email: info@heartbeatsofhope.org, info@timothysyndrome.org

Internet: http://www.heartbeatsofhope.org; http://www.timothysyndrome.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  4/6/2007

Copyright  1989, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2007 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

Last updated:	April 06, 2007