Tag Mina K. Chung MD

Management of Arrhythmias in Pregnancy

During pregnancy, preexisting arrhythmias may or may not increase. Hemodynamic changes, particularly during the third trimester, may predispose to some arrhythmias. Palpitations due to higher plasma volumes or ectopy are common and benign; noninvasive ambulatory monitoring may be considered if…

Treatment of Arrhythmias

Pharmacologic therapy for clinical arrhythmias Antiarrhythmic Agents Adenosine Adenosine is an intravenous (IV) purinergic blocker that inhibits sinus node and atrioventricular (AV) node automaticity and conduction, similar to high parasympathetic activity. Adenosine binds to the adenosine A1 receptor and activates…

Drug Effects and Electrolyte Disorders

Antiarrhythmic drugs By several mechanisms, some drugs, particularly antiarrhythmic drugs, can cause serious rhythm disturbances in susceptible individuals. This is termed proarrhythmia . Proarrhythmia encompasses an extensive list of arrhythmia types, including increase in premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), nonsustained ventricular…

Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias

Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia Description Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is defined as three or more consecutive ventricular beats occurring at a rate of 100 beats or more per minute. Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) ( Fig. 6.1 ) is defined as VT lasting…

Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmias

Supraventricular tachycardia Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a rhythm disturbance with a rate greater than 100 that requires tissue from above the His-Purkinje system to perpetuate. SVT can be regular (e.g., atrioventricular [AV] node reentry), irregular (e.g., atrial flutter [AFL] with…