Syndrome, WPW

WPW is an abbreviation for the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a condition caused by an abnormality in the electrical system of the heart which normally tells the heart muscle when to contract.</P> In WPW there is an extra electrical connection inside the heart that acts as a short circuit, causing the heart to beat too rapidly and sometimes in an irregular manner.

The syndrome can be lifethreatening although this is unusual.</P> WPW can be treated by destroying the short circuit using a technique termed radiofrequency catheter ablation in which wires are placed in different places in the heart until the short circuit is found and can be destroyed with radiowaves.</P> Wolff-Parkinson-White is written with hyphens because the syndrome was not discovered by a Dr.

Wolff Parkinson White but by three doctors: Louis Wolff, Sir John Parkinson, and Paul Dudley White.