Dexmedetomidine and Adenosine: Therapeutic Use for SVT

University of Pittsburgh

Status: Completed

Conditions: Supraventricular Tachycardia

Treatments: Drug: Dexmedetomidine; Drug: Adenosine

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01495481

PRO11070129

PRE-11-010 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine in the acute termination of Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT).

Full description

In 2006 the investigator found that dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist with primarily sedative properties, possesses additional anti-arrhythmic properties. So far the investigator has found that dexmedetomidine has the ability to prevent or terminate arrhythmias like atrial ectopic tachycardia (85% success) and junctional ectopic tachycardia (75% success). The most dramatic effect however was observed in the acute termination of reentrant SVT with a success rate of > 96%. More importantly we found that dexmedetomidine terminates SVT without causing any sinus pause or asystole (frequently seen with adenosine) and thus avoiding the feeling of "impending doom". In this study adenosine is being compared head to head with dexmedetomidine in a cross over study, for both safety and efficacy when given for the termination of SVT in the electrophysiology (EP) lab. Additional EP parameters will be measured to elucidate the exact site of dexmedetomidine's mechanism of action.

Enrollment: 22 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 5 to 30 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients between the age of 5 - 30 years old, who are scheduled for cardiac electrophysiology study for evaluation of reentrant SVT

Exclusion criteria

• Severe Heart Failure
• Presence of of any other antiarrhythmic medication within 24 hours of enrollment
• Third degree heart block
• Sick Sinus Syndrome

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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22 participants in 1 patient group

Adenosine and Dexmedetomidine

Experimental group

Description:

Patients will receive adenosine and then dexmedetomidine for the termination of SVT

Treatment:

Drug: Adenosine

Drug: Dexmedetomidine