Observations on the Mechanism of Atrial Gallop Rhythm

Abstract

An atrial gallop sound is a frequent finding in hypertensive cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, and in the presence of a prolonged atrioventricular conduction time. In view of evidence relating this sound to a ventricular pressure wave resulting from atrial contraction, modification of this hemodynamic event was studied by means of tourniquet pooling of blood in the extremities. In the 18 patients studied, this maneuver caused striking changes in the intensity and timing of the atrial gallop. Analysis of these changes helps explain the frequent appearance of this triple rhythm in severe hypertensive cardiovascular disease.