Therapeutic and diagnostic efficacy of adenosine in wide-complex tachycardia.
Wide-complex tachycardia is one of the most challenging problems faced by emergency physicians. Adenosine is an endogenous nucleoside that has gained recent popularity as an anti-arrhythmic drug in the setting of supraventricular tachycardia. We present the cases of two patients with stable wide-complex tachycardia in which adenosine was administered for therapeutic and diagnostic effects. Both patients quickly converted into sinus rhythm with subsequent diagnoses of atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia secondary to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. The role of adenosine in the acute management of wide-complex tachycardia is discussed.
Ilkhanipour
K
K
Department of Emergency Medicine, Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Berrol
R
R
Yealy
D M
DM
D000241:Adenosine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000150:complications
D000241:Adenosine