ADENOSINE-TRI-PHOSPHATE TREATMENT FOR SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA ININFANTS

Adenosine is an endogenous nucleoside acting on coronary perfusion and myocardial conduction. Although the anti-arrhythmic effects of adenos ine have been known for decades, interest in the use of adenosine or a denosine-triphosphate (ATP) (a precursor of adenosine) in termination of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) has been renewed. We studied the use of striadyne (ATP and a mixture of other nucleosides including ad enosine) in 22 infants younger than 6 months in order to evaluate effi ciency and safety of the drug in this particular age group. Striadyne stopped SVT in 17 cases and was diagnostic in another 4 cases. Ten out of 17 successfully converted infants showed one or more reinitiations of SVT, which were easily controlled. The results support the efficie ncy of ATP for the termination of re-entry types of tachycardia, as we ll as its diagnostic value and its lack of serious side-effects.