Wolfe Parkinson White Disease
Wolfe Parkinson White disease can sometimes be confused with the condition Parkinson’s disease, however the two disorders are entirely different. Wolfe Parkinson White disease (WPW) is a rare, unexpected and abrupt cause of death. It happens when an extra electrical connection appears between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. This additional or “accessory” electrical pathway is extremely rare, present in only 0.15% of people, most people who have it never notice their entire life.
In some patients, however, that electrical pathway creates a circuit, which produces a very fast heart rate. Even this is not fatal, and many patients tolerate the uncomfortable condition. However, some patients experience troublesome palpitations, light-headedness and blackout, and less than 0.1% of those afflicted, contract Wolfe Parkinson White disease, which causes sudden death from ventricular fibrillation.
Wolfe Parkinson White Disease
The main symptoms of Wolfe Parkinson White disease are the palpitations (heart rate over 150 beats per minute), which can occur at any time. Some sufferers learn to control these by holding their breath for long periods of time (like holding a reset button). Palpitations will not necessarily go away on their own, and in some cases must be terminated by medical therapy. When there are no symptoms present, regular examination will reveal nothing. Diagnosis is usually done with an ECG.
Treatment of Wolfe Parkinson White disease has the primary goal of destroying the troublesome electrical pathway. This is usually done with a procedure called radio frequency catheter ablation. The process involves passing a wire through the heart, typically by means of the large artery (femoral artery) in the leg. Using electrical stimulation, the pathway is located and terminated. The procedure is relatively simple, taking two to three hours, and patients treated for Wolfe Parkinson White disease typically require only one night in the hospital.
After treatment, no further tests are required if the patient is above 25 years of age and is showing no further symptoms. Patients under 25, however, are still at risk of developing Wolfe Parkinson White disease, and can potentially experience life threatening electrical issues. Further tests are required.
