title: Therapeutic and diagnostic efficacy of adenosine in wide-complex tachycardia.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ilkhanipour
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berrol
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Yealy
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000241:Adenosine