Atrioventricular interval (AV interval)

The atrioventricular (AV) interval is a physiological measurement representing the time required for an electrical impulse to travel from the atria to the ventricles through the atrioventricular node and the His-Purkinje system (StatPearls, 2023). In clinical practice, it is most commonly assessed via the PR interval on a standard electrocardiogram (ECG), with a normal range typically between 120 and 200 milliseconds in adults (NIH, 2022). While the AV interval is a clinical parameter rather than a specific molecular target like a receptor or enzyme, it serves as a critical endpoint for evaluating the effects of antiarrhythmic and rate-control medications. Drugs such as beta-blockers, non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, and cardiac glycosides modulate this interval by acting on underlying molecular targets like L-type calcium channels and beta-adrenergic receptors to slow conduction (PubMed, 2021). Abnormalities in the AV interval, such as prolongation (atrioventricular block) or shortening (pre-excitation), are diagnostic of various cardiac pathologies and can be induced as side effects of numerous non-cardiac medications (FDA, 2020).

Other names

PR intervalAtrioventricular conduction timeAV conduction delay

Drugs modulate the atrioventricular interval by altering the conduction velocity and refractory period of the AV node, primarily through the inhibition of L-type calcium channels, blockade of beta-1 adrenergic receptors, or enhancement of parasympathetic (vagal) tone.