Adenosine and supraventricular tachycardia.

Since it has been recognized that adenosine had potent electrophysiologic effects, investigators in several laboratories have shown that it is useful for terminating episodes of PSVT that require AV nodal conduction for continuation and that it may be a useful diagnostic maneuver to expose the atrial mechanism in patients whose arrhythmias are not terminated. Preliminary experience suggests that acute intravenous use of adenosine is both safe and highly efficacious, but data systematically comparing it to other current modes of therapy are not yet available. Future goals of research will include further use of the drug for investigating the mechanisms of different supraventricular arrhythmias and development of either new methods of administration or new, longer-acting analogs that will permit chronic prophylactic therapy.