Conditions: Supraventricular Tachycardia
Keywords: Supraventricular Tachycardia SVT Reentrant Tachycardia Dexmedetomidine Adenosine
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 22
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine in the acute termination of Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT).

Detailed description:
In 2006 the investigator found that dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist with primarily sedative properties, possesses additional anti-arrhythmic properties. So far the investigator has found that dexmedetomidine has the ability to prevent or terminate arrhythmias like atrial ectopic tachycardia (85% success) and junctional ectopic tachycardia (75% success). The most dramatic effect however was observed in the acute termination of reentrant SVT with a success rate of \> 96%. More importantly we found that dexmedetomidine terminates SVT without causing any sinus pause or asystole (frequently seen with adenosine) and thus avoiding the feeling of "impending doom". In this study adenosine is being compared head to head with dexmedetomidine in a cross over study, for both safety and efficacy when given for the termination of SVT in the electrophysiology (EP) lab. Additional EP parameters will be measured to elucidate the exact site of dexmedetomidine's mechanism of action.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients will receive adenosine and then dexmedetomidine for the termination of SVT

Interventions: intervention 1: Dexmedetomidine intervention 2: Adenosine
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Dexmedetomidine 2 mcg/kg, Intravenous push intervention 2: Stepwise incremental approach of adenosine starting at 0.2 mg/kg (max 6 mg) followed by 0.3 mg/kg (max 12 mg) if initial dose was unsuccessful

Protocol document: