Myth: Intravenous amiodarone is safe in patients with atrial fibrillation and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in the emergency department.
Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome with atrial fibrillation (AF) is a potentially life-threatening problem requiring rapid conversion to sinus rhythm. The most recent American Heart Association guidelines for the treatment of patients with WPW, published in conjunction with the 2000 Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) guidelines, suggests that intravenous amiodarone is a first-line therapy for AF-WPW; however the evidence suggests this is a potentially dangerous myth.
Tijunelis
Marius A
MA
KECK USC School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, LAC+USC Medical Center, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Herbert
Mel E
ME