The patient with recurrent atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia or chronic atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.

Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardias, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter are common symptomatic arrhythmias encountered in clinical practice. The reentry mechanisms and pathophysiology of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardias, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter are described. This article outlines the therapeutic approaches used in the acute phases of presentation. Nursing implications for patients admitted to intensive care/telemetry units are discussed.