title: Treatment of atrial flutter and rapid atrial tachycardia with endocavitary atrial pacing.
abstract: Fourteen patients with atrial flutter (AFL) and rapid atrial tachycardia (AT) (8 AFL type I, 2 AFL type II and 4 AT) were treated with endocavitary atrial pacing (EAP). In 10 patients no antiarrhythmic agent was during this study and in 4 patients digoxin and/or verapamil was administered before. Conversion to sinus rhythm was successfully achieved in 7 patients, 50% (4 AFL type I and 3 AT). Primary success rate (return to sinus rhythm either immediately or after < 10 min of atrial fibrillation) was 71% (5/7) (2 AFL type I and 3 AT); delayed success (conversion to sinus rhythm in > 10 min, but < 24 h) was observed in 2 cases (29%) with AFL type I. At five patients AFL was converted in stable atrial fibrillation (4 AFL type I and 1 AFL type II). EAP failed to terminate the arrhythmia in 1 patient with uncommon AFL (type II) and 1 case with AT. EAP included single extrastimuli, coaction, single decremental atrial extrastimuli and incremental atrial pacing (burst) during AFL or AT. In conclusion, EAP is a method with few complications and has efficacy for converting AFL and rapid AT sinus rhythm or to atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Third Medical Clinic, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Târgu-Mureş, Romania.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caraşca
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dobreanu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cotoi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006325:Heart Atria; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents