In the pooled analysis there was no significant difference in reversion rate or relapse rate between the two drugs .
Adenosine and verapamil are both effective treatments for supraventricular tachycardia in the majority of patients .
BACKGROUND Patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia frequently present to the Emergency Department .
Where vagal manoeuvres fail , the two most commonly used drugs are adenosine and calcium channel antagonists .
Both are known to be effective but both have a significant side-effect profile .
OBJECTIVES To examine the relative effects of adenosine and calcium channel antagonists and , if possible , to determine which is most appropriate for the management of supraventricular tachycardia .
Comparison of Treatment of Supraventricular Tachycardia by Valsalva Maneuver and Carotid Sinus Massage.
STUDY OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy of the Valsalva maneuver with that of carotid sinus massage ( CSM ) in terminating paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia ( SVT ) in the ED . METHODS This prospect i ve , r and omized case study was performed in the ED of a tertiary care institution . Patients were at least 10 years of age with regular narrow complex tachycardia and had an ECG diagnosis of SVT . Patients with regular narrow complex tachycardia were r and omly assigned to undergo either the Valsalva maneuver or CSM . If the tachycardia was not terminated by the method chosen by r and omization , then the alternative method of vagal maneuver was used . If the tachycardia was not converted by both methods of vagal stimulation , patients would undergo either synchronized electrical cardioversion or a pharmacologic method of conversion at the discretion of the treating physician , depending on the patient 's hemodynamic status . RESULTS One hundred forty-eight instances of SVT were studied . Sixty-two patients underwent Valsalva maneuver first with conversion in 12 ( success rate of 19.4 % ) . Eighty-six underwent CSM first with conversion in 9 ( success rate 10.5 % ) . Carotid sinus massage was used in the 50 cases of SVT in which conversion was not achieved with the Valsalva maneuver . Conversion occurred in 7 cases ( success rate 14.0 % ) . For the 77 cases of SVT in which initial CSM did not achieve conversion , conversion occurred in 13 with the Valsalva maneuver ( success rate 16.9 % ) . The Valsalva maneuver and CSM achieved conversion in a total of 41 instances of SVT ( success rate 27.7 % ) . CONCLUSION Vagal maneuvers are efficacious in terminating about one quarter of spontaneous SVT cases . There is no detectable difference in efficacy between the Valsalva maneuver and CSM . [ Lim SH , Anantharaman V , Teo WS , Goh PP , Tan ATH : Comparison of treatment of supraventricular tachycardia by Valsalva maneuver and carotid sinus massage . Ann Emerg Med January 1998;31:30 - 35 . ]
In the pooled analysis there was no significant difference in reversion rate or relapse rate between the two drugs .
Adenosine and verapamil are both effective treatments for supraventricular tachycardia in the majority of patients .
BACKGROUND Patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia frequently present to the Emergency Department .
Where vagal manoeuvres fail , the two most commonly used drugs are adenosine and calcium channel antagonists .
Both are known to be effective but both have a significant side-effect profile .
OBJECTIVES To examine the relative effects of adenosine and calcium channel antagonists and , if possible , to determine which is most appropriate for the management of supraventricular tachycardia .