A ventricular escape rhythm originates from which area?

A ventricular escape rhythm originates from which area?

• A. Atrial tissue
• B. Below the AV node (ventricular escape)
• C. SA node
• D. Above the AV node

Answer: (B)

A ventricular escape rhythm comes from tissue below the AV node—in the ventricles themselves (the ventricular myocardium/His-Purkinje system). This occurs when higher pacemakers fail or conduction to the ventricles is blocked, so the ventricles take over pacing at a slow rate. Because the origin is in the ventricular tissue, the rhythm typically has a slow rate (often 20–40 bpm) and broad QRS complexes due to the slower, abnormal ventricular depolarization. In contrast, rhythms arising from above the AV node (SA node or atrial tissue) or from the AV node itself have different pacing sources and usually produce different QRS patterns.

A ventricular escape rhythm comes from tissue below the AV node—in the ventricles themselves (the ventricular myocardium/His-Purkinje system). This occurs when higher pacemakers fail or conduction to the ventricles is blocked, so the ventricles take over pacing at a slow rate. Because the origin is in the ventricular tissue, the rhythm typically has a slow rate (often 20–40 bpm) and broad QRS complexes due to the slower, abnormal ventricular depolarization. In contrast, rhythms arising from above the AV node (SA node or atrial tissue) or from the AV node itself have different pacing sources and usually produce different QRS patterns.