Sinus arrest or Sinus Pause

Sinus arrest or Sinus Pause vs. Sinoatrial block

Sinus pause refers to brief failure while sinus arrest refers to a prolonged failure of the SA node. There is no universally accepted definition to differentiate the two. This is due to the failure of the SA node to generate an impulse.

On the surface ECG, it is seen as absence of PQRST complex. To differentiate it from SA block is to measure the PP interval. During sinus pause, the PP interval is not a multiple of the baseline PP interval while SA block should be a multiple of the baseline PP interval.

Sinus pause/arrest. This is sinus bradycardia (~57 bpm) with a bundle branch block. The pause is not equal to the baseline PP interval making sinoatrial exit block type II unlikely.

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