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Media Gallery

Atrial tachycardia. This 12-lead electrocardiogram demonstrates an atrial tachycardia at a rate of approximately 150 beats per minute. Note that the negative P waves in leads III and aVF (upright arrows) are different from the sinus beats (downward arrows). The RP interval exceeds the PR interval during the tachycardia. Note also that the tachycardia persists despite the atrioventricular block.
Atrial tachycardia. This propagation map of a right atrial tachycardia originating from the right atrial appendage was obtained with non-contact mapping using the EnSite mapping system.
Atrial tachycardia. Note that the atrial activities originate from the right atrium and persist despite the atrioventricular block. These features essentially exclude atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia and atrioventricular tachycardia via an accessory pathway. Note also that the change in the P-wave axis at the onset of tachycardia makes sinus tachycardia unlikely.
Atrial tachycardia. An anterior-posterior mapping projection is shown. This is an example of activation mapping using contact technique and the EnSite system. The atrial anatomy is partially reconstructed. Early activation points are marked with white/red color. The activation waveform spreads from the inferior/lateral aspect of the atrium through the entire chamber. White points indicate successful ablation sites that terminated the tachycardia. CS = shadow of the catheter inserted in the coronary sinus; TV = tricuspid valve.
Atrial tachycardia. These intracardiac tracings showing atrial tachycardia breaking with the application of radiofrequency energy. Before ablation, the local electrograms from the treatment site preceded the surface P wave by 51 ms, consistent with this site being the source of the tachycardia. Note that postablation electrograms on the ablation catheter are inscribed well past the onset of the sinus rhythm P wave. The first three tracings show surface electrocardiograms as labeled. Abl = ablation catheter (D-distal pair of electrodes); CS = respective pair of electrodes of the coronary sinus catheter; CS 1,2 = distal pair of electrodes; CS 7,8 = electrodes located at the os of the coronary sinus.
Atrial tachycardia. This image shows an example of rapid atrial tachycardia mimicking atrial flutter. A single radiofrequency application terminates the tachycardia. The first three tracings show surface electrocardiograms, as labeled. AblD and AblP = distal and proximal pair of electrodes of the mapping catheter, respectively; HBED and HBEP = distal and proximal pair of electrodes in the catheter located at His bundle, respectively; HRA = high right atrial catheter; MAP = unipolar electrograms from the tip of the mapping catheter; RVA = catheter located in right ventricular apex.
Atrial tachycardia. This electrocardiogram shows multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT).
Atrial tachycardia. This electrocardiogram belongs to an asymptomatic 17-year-old male who was incidentally discovered to have Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) pattern. It shows sinus rhythm with evident preexcitation. To locate the accessory pathway (AP), the initial 40 milliseconds of the QRS (delta wave) are evaluated. Note that the delta wave is positive in lead I and aVL, negative in III and aVF, isoelectric in V1, and positive in the rest of the precordial leads. Therefore, this is likely a posteroseptal AP.
Atrial tachycardia. This is a 12-lead electrocardiogram from an asymptomatic 7-year-old boy with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) pattern. Delta waves are positive in leads I and aVL; negative in II, III, and aVF; isoelectric in V1; and positive in the rest of the precordial leads. This again predicts a posteroseptal location for the accessory pathway (AP).

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Table. Medications, Strategies, and Techniques Specified or Not Mentioned in the 2019 Guidelines

Table. Medications, Strategies, and Techniques Specified or Not Mentioned in the 2019 Guidelines

Type of Tachycardia	Treatment (Grade)	Not Mentioned in 2019 Guidelines
Narrow QRS tachycardias	Verapamil and diltiazem; beta-blockers (now all are grade IIa)	Amiodarone, digoxin
Wide QRS tachycardias	Procainamide, adenosine (both grade IIa); amiodarone (IIb)	Sotalol, lidocaine
Inappropriate sinus tachycardia	Beta-blockers (IIa)	Verapamil/diltiazem, catheter ablation
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome	Salt and fluid intake (IIb)	Head-up tilt sleep, compression stockings, selective beta-blockers, fludrocortisone, clonidine, methylphenidate, fluoxetine, erythropoietin, ergotaminel octreotide, phenobarbitone
Focal atrial tachycardia	Acute: beta-blockers (IIa); flecainide/propafenone, amiodarone (IIb)	Acute: procainamide, sotalol, digoxin
Focal atrial tachycardia	Chronic: beta-blockers; verapamil and diltiazem (all IIa)	Chronic: amiodarone, sotalol, disopyramide
Atrial flutter	Acute: ibutilide (I); verapamil and diltiazem, beta-blockers (all IIa); atrial or transesophageal pacing (IIb); flecainide/propafenone (III)	Acute: digitalis
Atrial flutter	Chronic: —	Chronic: dofetilide, sotalol, flecainide, propafenone, procainamide, quinidine, disopyramide
Atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT)	Acute: —	Acute: amiodarone, sotalol, flecainide, propafenone
Atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT)	Chronic: verapamil and diltiazem; beta-blockers (all IIa)	Chronic: amiodarone, sotalol, flecainide, propafenone, “pill-in-the-pocket” approach
Atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia (AVRT)	Beta-blockers (IIa); flecainide/propafenone (IIb)	Amiodarone, sotalol, “pill-in-the-pocket” approach
SVT in pregnancy	Verapamil (IIa); catheter ablation (IIa when fluoroless ablation is available)	Sotalol, propafenone, quinidine, procainamide
Adapted from Brugada J, Katritsis DG, Arbelo E, et al, for the ESC Scientific Document Group. 2019 ESC Guidelines for the management of patients with supraventricular tachycardia. The Task Force for the management of patients with supraventricular tachycardia of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J. 2019 Aug 31;ehz467. https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz467/5556821

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Author

Bharat K Kantharia, MD, FRCP, FAHA, FACC, FESC, FHRS Clinical Professor of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Cardiac Electrophysiologist, Mount Sinai Health System, New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System, Montefiore Medical Center, Lennox Hill Hospital

Bharat K Kantharia, MD, FRCP, FAHA, FACC, FESC, FHRS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society, European Society of Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, Medical Society of the State of New York, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Royal College of Physicians of London, Royal Society of Medicine, Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Munish Sharma, MBBS Resident Physician, Department of Internal Medicine, Easton Hospital

Munish Sharma, MBBS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, Pennsylvania Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Arti N Shah, MD, MS, FACC, FACP, CEPS-AC, CEDS Assistant Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Director of Electrophysiology, Elmhurst Hospital Center and Queens Hospital Center

Arti N Shah, MD, MS, FACC, FACP, CEPS-AC, CEDS is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Cardiologists of Indian Origin, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, European Heart Rhythm Society, European Society of Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, New York Academy of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Jeffrey N Rottman, MD Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Cardiologist/Electrophysiologist, University of Maryland Medical System and VA Maryland Health Care System

Jeffrey N Rottman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Heart Association, Heart Rhythm Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Adam S Budzikowski, MD, PhD, FHRS Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Electrophysiology Section, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, University Hospital of Brooklyn

Adam S Budzikowski, MD, PhD, FHRS is a member of the following medical societies: European Society of Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society

Disclosure: Received consulting fee from Boston Scientific for speaking and teaching; Received honoraria from St. Jude Medical for speaking and teaching; Received honoraria from Zoll for speaking and teaching.

Christine S Cho, MD, MPH, MEd Assistant Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine

Christine S Cho, MD, MPH, MEd is a member of the following medical societies: Academic Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgements

Mirna M Farah, MD Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Mirna M Farah, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Dariusz Michałkiewicz, MD Head, Electrophysiology Department, Military Medical Institute, Poland

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Brian Olshansky, MD Professor of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine

Brian Olshansky, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Autonomic Society, American College of Cardiology, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Federation for Clinical Research, American Heart Association, Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, Heart Rhythm Society, and New York Academy of Sciences

Disclosure: Guidant/Boston Scientific Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Medtronic Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Guidant/Boston Scientific Consulting fee Consulting; Novartis Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Novartis Consulting fee Consulting

David A Peak, MD Assistant Residency Director of Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency, Attending Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital; Consulting Staff, Department of Hyperbaric Medicine, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

David A Peak, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society

Disclosure: Pfizer Salary Employment

Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, ME, MA Director of Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging, Professor of Medicine, Professor of Radiology, Adjunct Professor, Thayer Bioengineering and Computer Science, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, ME, MA is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Medical Research, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, and Radiological Society of North America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Mary L Windle, PharmD Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Grace M Young, MD Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland Medical Center

Grace M Young, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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