PERSISTENT ECTOPIC AURICULAR TACHYCARDIA IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Three cases of chronic tachycardia are reported. The 1st had auricular tachycardia with a rate of 200/min. She was followed for 5 yrs. with an avg. rate of 160/min. The 2d patient had A-V nodal tachycardia with a rate of 200/min. for 3 mos. The 3d case had A-V nodal tachycardia with a rate of 200/min. In the 1st case digoxin restored normal mechanism after 43 days of treatment. A maintenance dose thereafter maintained sinus rhythm. The 2d case was resistant to digoxin[long dash]although a 2-1 response occurred. In the 3d patient, digoxin finally brought the rate down to 143/min. but the abnormal mechanism persisted. In none of the 3 cases did persistent tachycardia at a high rate over a long period lead to the development of cardiac failure, though in 1 there were some signs of failure when the rate was unusually fast.