Prevalence and etiological factors of heart rhythm and conduction disorders among those who sought medical help from a cardiologist at the outpatient stage

Abstract

The study included 652 patients with persistent rhythm and conduction disturbances 
who consulted a cardiologist of a consultative-diagnostic polyclinic during 2 years. 
Possible etiological factors of arrhythmias occurrence in the examined patients were 
identified. In 48 (8.84%) patients no visible causes of rhythm disturbances were 
revealed. This group of patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the 
heart to clarify the nature of arrhythmias. In 32 patients cardiac MRI made it possible to 
determine the probable cause of cardiac rhythm disturbances, with a high frequency of 
myocarditis signs detected at MRI (⅓ of patients examined).