Fetal tachycardia: is digitalis still the first-line therapy?
Medical treatment of fetal tachycardias has substantially improved neonatal outcome over the past years. Digitalis has been often used as first-line therapy in these cases, and more recently the use of several newer agents have been reported. We present four cases of fetal tachycardia with a favorable neonatal outcome after successful treatment with digitalis. Rapid transplacental digitalization appears to be an effective and reliable treatment option for fetal tachycardia, particularly in non-hydropic fetuses. In hydropic fetuses, however, digitalis alone appears to be less effective and administration of a second drug is usually needed.
Athanassiadis
A P
AP
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokrateion General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Dadamogias
C
C
Netskos
D
D
Avramidis
G
G
Zafrakas
M
M
Mikos
T
T
Apostolidis
A
A
Asimakopoulos
E
E
Bontis
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002585:Cesarean Section; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012008:Recurrence; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D004077:Digoxin