More information from the Genetics Home Reference Website
What is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome? Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a condition characterized by abnormal electrical pathways in the heart that cause a disruption of the heart's normal rhythm (arrhythmia). The heartbeat is controlled by electrical signals that move through the heart in a highly coordinated way. A specialized cluster of cells called the atrioventricular node conducts electrical impulses from the heart's upper chambers (the atria) to the lower chambers (the ventricles). Impulses move through the atrioventricular node during each heartbeat, stimulating the ventricles to ...How common is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome? Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome affects 1 to 3 in 1,000 people worldwide. Only a small fraction of these cases appear to run in families.
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a common cause of an arrhythmia known as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is the most frequent cause of this abnormal heart rhythm in the Chinese population, where it is responsible for more than 70 percent of cases.
Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases