title: Adenosine induced atrial fibrillation precipitating polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.
abstract: An 86-year-old female developed supraventricular tachycardia 36 hours after a myocardial infarction (MI). She developed atrial fibrillation and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT) following administration of 12 mg of adenosine. The PVT caused hemodynamic instability with no response to cardioversion, but termination with procainamide. The heart is vulnerable to hemodynamically unstable, possibly lethal, PVT early after MI under some circumstances. This vulnerability may be exposed following administration of adenosine. Extra caution is warranted when using adenosine in the post-MI period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D011342:Procainamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000241:Adenosine; D011342:Procainamide