Which type of escape rhythm results from AV node failure?

Which type of escape rhythm results from AV node failure?

• A. Atrial escape
• B. Ventricular escape
• C. Sinus escape
• D. Junctional escape

Answer: (D)

When considering the type of escape rhythm that occurs due to failure in the atrioventricular (AV) node, junctional escape is the correct choice. Junctional escape rhythms emanate from the junctional tissue surrounding the AV node, which can take over pacing when there is a failure in the node's ability to conduct impulses or generate a signal itself.

In this scenario, the heart relies on the intrinsic pacing ability of the junctional area, which can generate impulses at a rate typically lower than that of the sinus node. This mechanism is a critical compensatory response to maintain some level of cardiac output despite a failure at the higher pacemaker sites.

Understanding the role of the AV node is crucial. When it fails, it disrupts the normal pathway that conducts electrical impulses from the atria to the ventricles, leading to a reliance on the junctional escape rhythm for pacing.

Atrial escape rhythms originate from the atria and typically occur when higher pacemakers fail, like the SA node, but they are not specifically a response to AV node failure. Ventricular escape rhythms arise from the ventricles themselves as a last resort when both the SA and AV nodes fail. Sinus escape rhythms originate from the SA node attempting to resume