The use of external, noninvasive pacing for the termination of supraventricular tachycardia in the emergency department setting.

Abstract

To determine the potential feasibility of external cardiac pacing for the termination of sustained supraventricular tachycardia in the emergency department setting. Three men and two women (mean age, 34 years) who presented to the ED with a narrow-complex, hemodynamically stable tachycardia that was later proven to be supraventricular in origin. Each patient underwent external overdrive pacing using a modified external pacemaker at a pulse amplitude of 120 mA and a rate between 240 and 280 pulses per minute. In four patients, external cardiac pacing was able to successfully terminate the tachycardia without complication. In one patient, the pacemaker was not able to terminate the tachycardia. We conclude that external, noninvasive pacing is a feasible means of terminating supraventricular tachycardia in the ED setting.