EFFECT OF DIGITALIS ON ARRHYTHMIAS OTHER THAN FLUTTER AND FIBRILLATION OF AURICLES

Abstract

AURICULAR TACHYCARDIA In 1926 Otto and Gold¹stated that the results obtained in treating patients with paroxysmal tachycardia with digitalis were extremely variable. White²remarked that digitalis, even in adequate doses by vein, is usually ineffective during an attack. Levine and Blotner,³however, by employing full doses, were more successful. Wilson and Wishart,⁴in 1930, reported the first two cases in which digitalis given intravenously produced marked slowing of the heart rate followed by cessation of the paroxysms. Barrier⁵reported cessation of the paroxysms in six of eight cases. I do not make this report as a plea for the use of digitalis in paroxysmal tachycardia, but merely to show its effect on the arrhythmia, in the hope that some light may be shed on the mechanism of paroxysmal tachycardia and on the mode of action of digitalis. The patients on whom similar studies have