[Efficacy of adenosine triphosphate in terminating supraventricular tachycardia].

The efficacy of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was tested in 23 patients suffering from supraventricular tachycardia; 10 patients had orthodromic circus movement tachycardia and 13 typical av nodal reentrant tachycardia. At a mean dose of 0.18 mg/kg all tachycardias were halted in less than 1 minute due to transient acute av nodal block followed by return to normal av conduction within 8 seconds. All patients had transient minor side effects. One elderly subject had a short episode of atrial fibrillation after the acute av block. In conclusion, ATP is useful and safe for rapid termination of supraventricular tachycardias incorporating the av node in their circuit.