title: Practice patterns of cardiologists, general practitioners, and internists for managing supraventricular tachycardias in Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Supraventricular tachycardias (SVT) often lead to emergency room and primary care visits. Not only cardiologists, but also general practitioners (GPs) and internists are involved to an increasing extent in the acute and long-term management of SVT. We aimed to explore the differences between practice patterns of cardiologists and noncardiologists with regard to SVT management in Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 250 cardiologists and 250 GPs/internists from various areas across Greece.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A response rate of 61.8% was obtained. Vagal maneuvers were the initial therapeutic approach for SVT termination; however, 22% of noncardiologists would rather start with an antiarrhythmic drug. Adenosine was the most popular drug for SVT termination, but the GPs/internists would use it less often than the cardiologists (67 vs. 86%, P<0.001). The GPs/internists would keep the patient for at least 24 h or more after SVT termination, while 48% of the cardiologists would discharge the patient within the first 3 h. Noncardiologists would more often suggest a 24-h Holter recording than the cardiologists (73 vs. 55%, P<0.005). With regard to the long-term management of SVT, the GPs/internists would prescribe antiarrhythmic drugs earlier than the cardiologists, and seem to be less familiar with the indications for the electrophysiological testing and ablation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences in practice patterns exist in Greece with regard to SVT management between cardiologists and noncardiologists. The GPs/internists seem to rely more on antiarrhythmic drugs and tend to underestimate the role of ablation therapy for the long-term management of SVT.
authors.affiliation: Department of First Cardiology, AHEPA Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassilios P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Vassilikos
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mantziari
authors.forename: Christos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Goudis
authors.forename: Stelios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paraskevaidis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dakos
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stavropoulos
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannoglou
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Efthimiadis
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mochlas
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parcharidis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Louridas
authors.forename: Ioannis H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Styliadis
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002309:Cardiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006115:Greece; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents