The clinical significance of the repetitive ventricular response.

THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE of the repetitive ventricular response (RVR) has become an issue of considerable interest and controversy.'-6 Despite the interest and efforts of several investigators, definite conclusions about its significance are not possible. In fact, the clinical and electrophysiologic aspects of the RVR have been a source of confusion, particularly for those not well acquainted with cardiac electrophysiologic studies. Of primary importance is the fact that a uniform definition of RVR has not been established. In this communication, it refers to the occurrence of one or more (but less than five) nonstimulated ventricular beats after a paced ventricular premature beat (V2) either during basic atrial (sinus or atrial paced) or ventricular rhythms. A similar definition has been used in most of the published clinical studies, although the separation of multiple RVRs from nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) has not been clarified.