Chronic recurrent ventricular tachycardia is driven by a reentry mechanism, while ventricular tachycardia within 24 hours of myocardial infarction suggests a focal origin.
The study of ventricular tachycardia mechanisms using programmed electrical stimulation suggests different pathophysiological origins depending on the chronicity and context of the arrhythmia.
Programmed electrical stimulation of the heart as a method to study mechanisms of arrthythmias is discussed in patients with ventricular tachycardia. Chronic recurrent ventricular tachycardia seems to be based on a reentry mechanism. Observations in patients with ventricular tachycardia during the first 24 hours after myocardial infarction suggest a focal origin of the arrhythmia.
Hein J.J. Wellens (1975) studied this question. Chronic recurrent ventricular tachycardia is driven by a reentry mechanism, while ventricular tachycardia within 24 hours of myocardial infarction suggests a focal origin.