Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia

TWENTY-TWO years ago in the Journal, the term "multifocal atrial tachycardia" was first applied systematically to an arrhythmia characterized by irregularity, different forms of P waves, and (in adults) a rather grim prognosis.1 In this article, I shall discuss our current knowledge of the incidence, clinical setting, electrocardiographic and electrophysiologic features, treatment, and prognosis of the arrhythmia.Multifocal atrial tachycardia occurs relatively infrequently as compared with other arrhythmias. Investigators have reported finding evidence of the condition in 0.05 to 0.32 percent of electrocardiograms interpreted in general hospitals1 2 3 4 and in 0.36 percent of patients admitted to a hospital.5 Clinical Setting . . .