Atrial Tachycardia

The available therapies for atrial tachycardia include the use of antiarrhythmic drugs, radiofrequency catheter ablation, and antiarrhythmic surgery. The growing realization that catheter ablation cures atrial tachycardia with high efficacy and safety has contributed to the increasing popularity of the procedure and makes it the therapy of choice in symptomatic patients. Antiarrhythmic drugs are thought to be effective acutely in 40% to 60% of patients, but their long-term efficacy remains poorly defined. Infrequently, atrioventricular nodal catheter ablation combined with pacing may be needed in patients whose arrhythmias are refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs and curative radiofrequency ablation. Antiarrhythmic surgery has a limited role as a therapy of last resort.