[Recording of the right atrial monophasic action potential in humans. I. Subjects not affected by arrhythmia].
Using a bipolar suction electrode technique, right atrial monophasic action potential (RA MAP) was recorded in 18 patients surely free from any kind of arrhythmia. Two morphologically different kinds of RA AMP were obtained: the former exhibiting an evident transition between phase 1-2 (plateau) and phase 3 of repolarization (FP), the latter without any appreciable palteau (FL). Electrophysiological properties of human myocardial atrial tissue have been investigated by microelectrode technique. The two types of MAP recorded by us resemble the former the action potential obtained from conducting specialized fiber, the latter the action potential of contractile fibers. A statistically significant difference in RA MAP duration measured at 90% level of repolarization (D 90%) was found between the two kinds of MAP: therefore we suggest to perform quantitative evaluations and pharmaco-ogical investigations only including MAPs of similar morphology. The intraindividual variation coefficient of D 90% may be considered an expression of the range of variability of repolarization duration in man; we suggest that only MAPs of similar configuration should be accepted for its calculation in order to avoid errors of evaluation.