Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome

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Tests and diagnosis

By Mayo Clinic staff

Your doctor can make a diagnosis of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome based on your answers to questions about symptoms, a physical exam and heart tests.

Electrocardiogram(ECG)
An electrocardiogram — also called an ECG or EKG — uses small sensors (electrodes) attached to your chest and arms to record electrical signals as they travel through your heart. Your doctor can look for patterns among these signals that indicate the presence of an extra electrical pathway in your heart. This pathway can usually be detected even when you're not currently experiencing an episode of a fast heartbeat. Your doctor may also ask you to use portable ECG devices at home to provide more information about your heart rate. These devices include:

  • Holter monitor. This portable ECG device is carried in your pocket or worn on a belt or shoulder strap. It records your heart's activity for an entire 24-hour period, which provides your doctor with a prolonged look at your heart rhythms. Your doctor will likely ask you to keep a diary during the same 24 hours. You'll describe any symptoms you experience and record the time they occur.
  • Event recorder. This portable ECG device is intended to monitor your heart activity over a few weeks to a few months. You activate it only when you experience symptoms of a fast heart rate. When you feel symptoms, you push a button, and an ECG strip of the preceding few minutes and following few minutes is recorded. This permits your doctor to determine your heart rhythm at the time of your symptoms.

Electrophysiological testing
Your doctor may recommend an electrophysiological test to confirm the diagnosis or to pinpoint the location of the extra pathway. During this test, thin, flexible tubes (catheters) tipped with electrodes are threaded through your blood vessels to various spots in your heart. Once in place, the electrodes can precisely map the spread of electrical impulses during each beat and identify an extra electrical pathway.

Treatments and drugs Preparing for your appointment
References
  1. Early TJ, et al. Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1087785533&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00032-9--sc29000&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&type=bookPage&sectionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00032-9--sc29000&uniqId=227936882-3. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  2. Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4785. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  3. Arnsdorf MF, et al. Epidemiology of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  4. Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) Syndrome. The Merck Manuals: Home Edition for Patients and Caregivers. http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec03/ch027/ch027e.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  5. Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/wolff-parkinson-white-syndrome. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  6. Podrid PJ. Pharmacologic therapy of arrhythmias associated with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  7. Knight BP. Nonpharmacologic therapy of arrhythmias associated with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  8. Prevention & treatment of arrhythmia. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/PreventionTreatmentofArrhythmia/Prevention-Treatment-of-Arrhythmia_UCM_002026_Article.jsp. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  9. Symptoms, diagnosis & monitoring of arrhythmia. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/SymptomsDiagnosisMonitoringofArrhythmia/Symptoms-Diagnosis-Monitoring-of-Arrhythmia_UCM_002025_Article.jsp. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  10. Shen W-K (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 14, 2010.
  11. Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 12, 2010.
DS00923 Feb. 25, 2011

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