Anaesthetic considerations in patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. A review and report of cases.

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia is a common cardiac dysrhythmia which may or may not be associated with heart disease. The underlying mechanisms in the genesis of this dysrhythmia are alterations in automaticity or re-entry of the cardiac impulse. These mechanisms are reviewed in the context of the stresses of the peri-operative and operative periods. The anaesthetic management of three patients, particularly prone to paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, is described based on principles derived from the pathophysiology of re-entrant or ectopic atrial tachydysrhythmias.