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Intravenous flecainide acetate for supraventricular tachycardias.
1Department of Cardiology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
The American Journal of Cardiology
|August 25, 1988
Summary
Flecainide acetate effectively terminated supraventricular tachycardias (SVT), including atrial fibrillation and AV nodal reentrant tachycardia. However, reinitiation of SVT was possible in a significant portion of patients, particularly those with atrial flutter.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Supraventricular tachycardias (SVT) encompass various arrhythmias like atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, and atrioventricular (AV) reentrant tachycardias.
- Flecainide acetate is an antiarrhythmic drug used in managing cardiac rhythm disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous flecainide acetate in terminating different types of SVT.
- To assess the potential for SVT reinitiation after flecainide administration.
Main Methods:
- 128 patients with various SVTs received intravenous flecainide acetate (2 mg/kg at 10 mg/min).
- Flecainide was administered during active SVT or sinus rhythm for inducible SVT.
- SVT termination and reinitiation rates were recorded for different arrhythmia types.
Main Results:
- Flecainide successfully terminated atrial fibrillation (82%), AV reentrant tachycardia (84%), and AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (88%).
- Termination rates were lower for atrial flutter (22%) and atrial tachycardia (71%).
- SVT reinitiation was observed in 15% of atrial fibrillation, 34% of AV reentrant tachycardia, and 27% of AV nodal reentrant tachycardia patients.
Conclusions:
- Intravenous flecainide is effective in terminating most SVTs, especially AV nodal and AV reentrant tachycardias.
- The drug's efficacy in atrial flutter is limited, and SVT reinitiation can occur, particularly when retrograde pathway refractoriness is not prolonged.