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Premature Atrial Complex (PAC)

A premature atrial complex (PAC) is a premature beat arising from ectopic pacemaking tissue within the atria. There is an abnormal P wave, usually followed by a normal QRS complex. AKA: Atrial ectopics, atrial extrasystoles, atrial premature beats, atrial premature depolarisations.

ECG features of PACs
  • Abnormal (non-sinus) P wave usually followed by a normal QRS complex (< 120 ms)
  • Post-extrasystolic pauses may be present — PACs that reach the SA node may depolarise it, causing the SA node to be “reset”, with a longer-than-normal interval before the next sinus beat arrives
  • PACs may also be conducted aberrantly (usually RBBB morphology), or not conducted at all. P waves will still be visible in both cases
Premature Atrial Complex (PAC) 1
Frequent PACs (arrows): Note differing P wave morphology and post-extrasystolic pauses

P wave morphology
  • The P wave typically has a different morphology and axis to the sinus P waves
  • PACs arising close to the AV node (“low atrial” ectopics) cause retrograde activation of the atria, producing an inverted P wave with a relatively short PR interval ≥ 120 ms (PR interval < 120 ms is classified as a PJC)
  • The abnormal P wave may be hidden in the preceding T wave, producing a “peaked” or “camel hump” appearance — if this is not appreciated the PAC may be mistaken for a premature junctional complex (PJC)

Aberrancy and “blocked” PACs
  • PACs arriving early in the cycle may be conducted aberrantly, usually with a RBBB morphology (as the right bundle branch has a longer refractory period than the left). They can be differentiated from PVCs by the presence of a preceding P wave
  • Similarly, PACs arriving very early in the cycle may not be conducted to the ventricles at all. In this case, you will see an abnormal P wave that is not followed by a QRS complex (“blocked PAC”). It is usually followed by a compensatory pause as the sinus node resets

Origin of Ectopic Beats
  • Groups of pacemaker cells throughout the conducting system are capable of spontaneous depolarisation
  • The rate of depolarisation decreases from top to bottom: fastest at the sinoatrial node; slowest within the ventricles
  • Ectopic impulses from subsidiary pacemakers are normally suppressed by more rapid impulses from above
  • However, if an ectopic focus depolarises early enough — before the arrival of the next sinus impulse — it may “capture” the ventricles, producing a premature contraction
  • Premature contractions (“ectopics”) are classified by their origin — atrial (PAC), junctional (PJC) or ventricular (PVC)

Classification of PACs

PACs may be either:

  • Unifocal – arising from a single ectopic focus; each PAC is identical.
  • Multifocal – arising from two or more ectopic foci; multiple P-wave morphologies.

PACs often occur in repeating patterns:

  • Bigeminy — every other beat is a PAC
  • Trigeminy — every third beat is a PAC
  • Quadrigeminy — every fourth beat is a PAC
  • Couplet – two consecutive PACs
  • Triplet — three consecutive PACs

Clinical significance of PACs
  • PACs are a normal electrophysiological phenomenon not usually requiring investigation or treatment
  • Frequent PACs may cause palpitations and a sense of the heart “skipping a beat”
  • In patients with underlying predispositions (e.g. left atrial enlargement, ischaemic heart disease, WPW), a PAC may be the trigger for the onset of a re-entry tachyarrhythmia — e.g. Atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, AVNRT, AVRT

Causes of PACs

Frequent or symptomatic PACs may occur due to:


ECG Examples
Example 1
Blocked Premature Atrial Complex (PAC) 1

Blocked PAC:

  • This hidden PAC gives a peaked appearance to the T wave (circled)
  • The PAC is not not followed by a QRS complex, indicating that it has not been conducted to the ventricles (“blocked PAC”)
  • It is followed by a compensatory pause

Example 2
Premature Atrial Complex (PAC) 2

Normally and aberrantly-conducted PACs:

  • There is an aberrantly conducted PAC, best seen in aVL and aVF (circled)
  • This could be mistaken for a ventricular ectopic — however, it is clearly preceded by an abnormal P wave
  • A normally-conducted PAC is also present on the rhythm strip (circled)

NB: This rhythm strip is not recorded simultaneously


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Emergency Physician in Prehospital and Retrieval Medicine in Sydney, Australia. He has a passion for ECG interpretation and medical education | ECG Library |

Adult/Paediatric Emergency Medicine Advanced Trainee in Melbourne, Australia. Special interests in diagnostic and procedural ultrasound, medical education, and ECG interpretation. Co-creator of the LITFL ECG Library. Twitter: @rob_buttner

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