Treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in infancy with digitalis, adenosine-5'-triphosphate, and verapamil: a comparative study.

The treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) in infancy with digitalis, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and verapamil is reported. Treatment was successful in about 90% of the patients treated with ATP and verapamil and in 61--71% of the patients treated with digitalis (Lanatoside C). Verapamil terminated the tachycardia within 2 minutes of administration in most instances and ATP in less than 1 minute. Digitalis, however, took as long as 2 hours; it was therefore excluded as the drug of first choice in emergencies, and is better suited for treating patients with poor hemodynamics. Side effects with ATP are common but short-lived. With verapamil, side effects are rare, but may be serious if certain contraindications are not taken into account. Digitalis in the dose used in this trial rarely produced side effects. We conclude that ATP or verapamil is the drug of first choice for quick termination of PSVT in infancy.