[Natural history of persistent atrial paralysis. Description of a case with familial and evolutionary characteristics].

We report a case of partial persistent atrial standstill from a group of patients with familial endemic complete or partial persistent atrial standstill. In this patient we observed the evolution from sinus rhythm (with episodes of uncommon atrial flutter treated by electrostimulation) to the typical clinical picture of partial persistent atrial standstill, which is described also in its electrophysiological features. Incomplete and complete persistent atrial standstill may represent different stages of the same disease of the atrial wall.