prophylaxis
Last reviewed 01/2018
- radiofrequency catheter ablation of the accessory pathway or alternative parts of the re-entrant circuit.
- antiarrhythmic drugs are used if ablation is unavailable or unsuccessful, if the patient refuses the interventional procedure, or whilst awaiting ablation therapy.
- drug therapy is aimed at different parts of the 'circuit' behind the aetiology of the junctional tachycardia:
- prolongation of the recovery of the AV node (eg verapamil) or of the accessory pathways (eg amiodarone).
- prevention of the initiation mechanism eg suppression of ectopic activity with flecainide.
- prophylaxis aimed at specific situations in which the arrhythmia occurs eg á blockers if arrhythmias occur at time of exercise.
- impairment of the ability of the accessory pathways to conduct frequent impulses from the atrium to the ventricle eg amiodarone.