Treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia with adenosine: implications for nursing

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is a frequently occurring arrhythmia. Currently, verapamil and manual vagal stimulation are the first-line interventions for PSVT. Although verapamil is widely used for the treatment of PSVT, it can result in hypotension and ventricular fibrillation if given to a patient with ventricular tachycardia. Because the differential diagnosis of broad QRS complex tachycardia is difficult, the development of a safer drug for the treatment of both narrow- and broad-complex tachycardia is extremely important. Adenosine is a promising new drug for the treatment of PSVT. Its use is reviewed in three presentations.