What is the implication of a skipped beat in 2nd degree AV block?

What is the implication of a skipped beat in 2nd degree AV block?

• A. The heart rate becomes consistently faster
• B. One or more impulses are not conducted
• C. The patient can be at risk of atrial fibrillation
• D. Regular rhythm maintained throughout

Answer: (B)

In a second-degree AV block, one or more atrial impulses fail to conduct through the atrioventricular node, leading to a scenario where some heartbeats are skipped. This interruption in conduction results in a characteristic pattern of dropped beats. Essentially, while the atria may continue to fire regularly, the ventricles do not receive all of these impulses, and thus, a QRS complex may be missing from the ECG in cases of incomplete (type I) or complete (type II) second-degree heart block. This phenomenon highlights the essential function of the AV node as a conduit for electrical signals, and its failure to conduct certain impulses is what leads to the observation of skipped beats.

In a second-degree AV block, one or more atrial impulses fail to conduct through the atrioventricular node, leading to a scenario where some heartbeats are skipped. This interruption in conduction results in a characteristic pattern of dropped beats. Essentially, while the atria may continue to fire regularly, the ventricles do not receive all of these impulses, and thus, a QRS complex may be missing from the ECG in cases of incomplete (type I) or complete (type II) second-degree heart block. This phenomenon highlights the essential function of the AV node as a conduit for electrical signals, and its failure to conduct certain impulses is what leads to the observation of skipped beats.