Adenosine-induced ventricular fibrillation in a patient with supraventricular tachycardia. 2021

Shu Yu Lee, and Sohil Pothiawala, and Chong Meng Seet
Department of Emergency Medicine, Woodlands Health Campus, National Healthcare Group, Singapore E-mail: shu_yu_lee@whc.sg.

Adenosine is frequently used for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) treatment in the emergency department (ED). Atrial and ventricular pro-arrhythmic effects of adenosine were described in the literature, but ventricular fibrillation (VF) secondary to adenosine administration was rarely reported (with an incidence of < 1%). Reported herein is the first case of a 72-year-old female patient who developed VF hemodynamic collapse after an intravenous administration of adenosine for PSVT treatment. She had no known pre-excitation or accessory pathway, nor any underlying structural heart disease or prolonged QT syndrome. Raising awareness of this potential life-threatening pro-arrhythmic effect of adenosine is important, given its frequent use for PSVT treatment in the ED.

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