Atrioventricular junctional escape beat and escape rhythm

When the impulse from the sinoatrial node or within the atrium fails to reach the atrioventricular junction area on time, and the interval exceeds the cycle length of the latent pacemaker in the junctional tissue, this latent pacemaker discharges an impulse, resulting in an ectopic beat known as a junctional escape beat. Three or more consecutive junctional escape beats constitute a junctional escape rhythm.