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Compensatory pause

Authoring team

This is the duration of the pause after an extrasystole:

  • a complete compensatory pause occurs when the sum of the coupling interval and the compensatory pause is equal to twice the sinus cycle length. It is characteristic of a ventricular ectopic which fails to conduct retrogradely to the atria, hence leaving the sinus node undisturbed.

  • an incomplete compensatory pause arises if the sinus node is discharged early by the ectopic depolarisation.

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