Repolarisatiepad

Repolarisatiepad is a term used in Dutch-language medical literature to describe the functional pathway along which repolarization of cardiac tissue propagates after depolarization. It is not an anatomically fixed structure but a conceptual description of the sequence and timing of recovery of excitability across myocardial regions.

Etymology and usage: The word combines repolarisatie (repolarization) with pad (path). In practice, the repolarisatiepad refers to the pattern and direction of repolarization across the ventricular wall or regions of the heart as inferred from electrical measurements, rather than a discrete anatomical channel.

Concept and clinical relevance: The repolarisatiepad is discussed in the context of electrocardiography and intracardiac mapping. It relates to how the repolarization process contributes to the morphology of the T wave and to the dispersion of repolarization across the myocardium. Factors such as ischemia, structural heart disease, electrolyte disturbances, and drugs can alter the repolarization pattern, which in turn can affect arrhythmia risk and ECG interpretation. The concept is primarily used in research and in specialized clinical settings to understand complex repolarization phenomena rather than as a routine diagnostic construct.

Limitations: The term does not have a single, universally standardized definition and may be used differently across authors and contexts. It remains a descriptive, functional concept rather than a specific anatomical pathway, and its precise interpretation can vary with mapping techniques and clinical circumstances.

See also: Repolarization, Cardiac electrophysiology, Electrocardiography, Mapping, Arrhythmia.