| Abstract: | A comparison of verapamil with adenosine for the immediate treatmentof supraventricular tachycardia was made from a retrospectivereview of 164 spontaneous episodes of paroxysmal tachycardiain 43 patients. Verapamil administered to 33 patients restoredsinus rhythm in 91 of 112 episodes (81 per cent). Hypotensionoccurred in 9 per cent of episodes. Adenosine terminated 94per cent of episodes of supraventricular tachycardia in 25 patients.The arrhythmia recurred shortly after adenosine restored sinusrhythm in 20 episodes. Transient side effects were common. Fifteenpatients were treated with both agents. Adenosine was successfulin all, but verapamil failed to restore sinus rhythm at leastonce in seven of the 15 patients. Early recurrence of tachycardiaoccurred in five of these after adenosine, but in only one afterverapamil. Verapamil and adenosine are both effective in the treatmentof supraventricular tachycardia; adenosine has the higher successrate and is safer, but transient symptoms are common and arrhythmiasmay recur. |
