Supraventricular tachycardia. Changes in management.

The various forms of supraventricular tachycardia can be differentiated by careful review of a patient's electrocardiogram. If reentrant tachycardia involves the atrioventricular node, intravenous adenosine (Adenocard) provides a rapid means of converting the tachycardia to sinus rhythm. Adverse effects of adenosine, though common, are mild and of brief duration. Wide QRS complex tachycardia of ventricular origin is usually not affected by the drug.