Pacing techniques in the management of supraventricular tachycardias. Part 1. The use of high frequency stimulation (HFS) in the management of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

Using techniques for programmed electrical stimulation of the heart, seven patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia have been studied and shown to have a reciprocal mechanism as the most likely basis for the tachycardia. In four patients it was found that the tachycardia could be terminated by single right atrial premature beats and in three patients two right atrial premature beats were required. A variable zone for tachycardia termination was found when single or double stimuli were used and so a system for introducing high frequency stimuli at 100 or 1000 stimuli/sec for a given duration is described. Using this system a wider range of the cardiac cycle could be covered, thereby increasing the likelihood of producing correctly timed premature beats. The results of using this system are presented and its practical usage discussed.