Vnitr Lek 2003, 49(4):267-272

[Effectiveness and safety of adenosine in the therapy and diagnosis of arrhythmias].

J Dúbrava, O Jurkovicová: Oddelenie funkcnej diagnostiky NsP sv. Cyrila a Metoda, Bratislava, Slovenská republika.

Adenosine is a drug with unique clinical and electrophysiological properties. Despite this, its use in Slovakia is rare. The decisive reason, besides its price, is the physicians fear of potential adverse effects and their limited knowledge regarding its clinical use. This study was aimed at analysis of the contribution of adenosine to the treatment and diagnostics of arrhythmias and evaluation of its safety. We studied the effect of adenosine in 62 patients. Adenosine terminated paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) in 16 of 44 patients (36.4%) and in another 21 patients (47.7%) we revealed the type of unclear PSVT. We observed contribution to the diagnostics of wide QRS complex tachycardia in 3 of 6 patients (50.0%). Latent ventricular preexcitation was induced in 2 of 12 patients (16.7%). Subjective complaints after adenosine were frequent (at least 1 symptom in 80.6% patients), but all of them were of short duration and clinically not significant. We did not observe any relevant complication of adenosine. The average maximal RR interval after adenosine was 1.75 sec. We consider adenosine in adequately indicated patients with respect for its contraindications as highly effective drug in the treatment and diagnostics of specific arrhythmias.