[Intrauterine therapy of fetal supraventricular tachycardia with digoxin and verapamil]. 1993

W Engelhardt, and R G Grabitz, and A Funk, and G von Bernuth
Klinik für Kinderkardiologie der RWTH Aachen.

Fetal supraventricular tachycardia may cause intrauterine heart failure and thus require transplacental treatment. During a period of nine years, we treated nine of eleven fetuses (gestational age ranging from the 26th to the 36th week) suffering from paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (10) or atrial flutter (1). The remaining two fetuses did not receive antiarrhythmic therapy because of only short lasting supraventricular tachycardia. Two fetuses were hydropic at the onset of therapy. Diagnosis of the rhythm disorder was established by m-mode echocardiography. All nine fetuses treated received digoxin after diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardia. Three of these reverted to sinus rhythm, one remained in supraventricular tachycardia which, however, was well tolerated. Five fetuses (three because of failure of digoxin alone and two because of a severely symptomatic supraventricular tachycardia) were treated with a combination of digoxin and verapamil. All five fetuses responded to the combined treatment, two of them, however, were delivered prematurely because of recurrence of supraventricular tachycardia in one and amnion-infection syndrome in the other. All patients survived and no severe fetal or maternal side effects were observed. Our experience confirms that digoxin and verapamil are usually effective in treating fetal supraventricular tachycardia. Some fetuses with short lasting and self limiting supraventricular tachycardia may not need any treatment, and a few not responding to digoxin and verapamil may require other antiarrhythmic drugs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D008297 Male Males
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D004077 Digoxin A cardiotonic glycoside obtained mainly from Digitalis lanata; it consists of three sugars and the aglycone DIGOXIGENIN. Digoxin has positive inotropic and negative chronotropic activity. It is used to control ventricular rate in ATRIAL FIBRILLATION and in the management of congestive heart failure with atrial fibrillation. Its use in congestive heart failure and sinus rhythm is less certain. The margin between toxic and therapeutic doses is small. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p666) Digacin,Digitek,Digoregen,Digoxina Boehringer,Digoxine Nativelle,Dilanacin,Hemigoxine Nativelle,Lanacordin,Lanicor,Lanoxicaps,Lanoxin,Lanoxin-PG,Lenoxin,Mapluxin,Boehringer, Digoxina,Lanoxin PG,Nativelle, Digoxine,Nativelle, Hemigoxine
D004452 Echocardiography Ultrasonic recording of the size, motion, and composition of the heart and surrounding tissues. The standard approach is transthoracic. Echocardiography, Contrast,Echocardiography, Cross-Sectional,Echocardiography, M-Mode,Echocardiography, Transthoracic,Echocardiography, Two-Dimensional,Transthoracic Echocardiography,2-D Echocardiography,2D Echocardiography,Contrast Echocardiography,Cross-Sectional Echocardiography,Echocardiography, 2-D,Echocardiography, 2D,M-Mode Echocardiography,Two-Dimensional Echocardiography,2 D Echocardiography,Cross Sectional Echocardiography,Echocardiography, 2 D,Echocardiography, Cross Sectional,Echocardiography, M Mode,Echocardiography, Two Dimensional,M Mode Echocardiography,Two Dimensional Echocardiography
D005260 Female Females
D005865 Gestational Age The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination. Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006340 Heart Rate, Fetal The heart rate of the FETUS. The normal range at term is between 120 and 160 beats per minute. Fetal Heart Rate,Fetal Heart Rates,Heart Rates, Fetal,Rate, Fetal Heart,Rates, Fetal Heart
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013614 Tachycardia, Paroxysmal Abnormally rapid heartbeats with sudden onset and cessation. Paroxysmal Reciprocal Tachycardia,Paroxysmal Reciprocal Tachycardias,Paroxysmal Tachycardia,Paroxysmal Tachycardias,Reciprocal Tachycardia, Paroxysmal,Reciprocal Tachycardias, Paroxysmal,Tachycardia, Paroxysmal Reciprocal,Tachycardias, Paroxysmal,Tachycardias, Paroxysmal Reciprocal

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