Bayes’’ syndrome refers to the association between interatrial block and supraventricular arrhythmias- mainly the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. It is also a risk factor for cardio-embolic stroke. Rapid recognition by analyzing characteristic patterns in the surface ECG will help the physician to closely monitor the patient for atrial fibrillation and decide on anticoagulation therapy if the clinical risk of stroke is increased. Interatrial blocks were described several decades ago; however, they are now gaining the attention of the medical community as a means of helping to identify patients at high risk of developing atrial fibrillation and/or cardio-embolic stroke. “Importantly, the Bay’’s syndrome appears to be a risk factor for cardio-embolic stroke. This has raised the possibility that preventive oral anticoagulant therapy, particularly with one of the newer oral anticoagulants, might be useful in patients with advanced interatrial block, even in the absence of clinically evident atrial fibrillation.”
- FROM THE FOREWORD BY EUGENE BRAUNWALD, MDC
