electrical treatment
Last reviewed 01/2018
The main strategies are:
- overdrive pacing
- cardioversion
Overdrive pacing involves transvenous pacing of the right atrium at a rate 20-30% faster than the tachycardia. There is a risk of precipitating atrial fibrillation which, in the presence of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome can result in a dangerously rapid ventricular response rate.
DC cardioversion is usually successful and may be used in an emergency. Start at 100J moving up to 200J and then 360J.