Advanced Study on the Use of Ivabradine in Supraventricular Tachycardia Caused by Refractory Focal Atrial Tachycardia in Neonates to Avoid Radiofrequency Ablation

Abstract

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a clinical condition caused by a variety of arrhythmias with varying etiologies. SVT is the most common arrhythmia in a neonate with an incidence of 1 in 200– 250. In SVT, heart rate is usually >220 beats/min.  Any arrhythmogenic focus above the ventricles, whether reentrant or isolated ectopic, can cause SVT. Tachy- and bradyarrhythmias are usually tolerated better in neonates than in other age groups. After at least 36–48 hours, signs of cardiac failure appear in SVT.  We're here to describe a case of SVT produced by a unifocal atrial ectopic focus that was treated with ivabradine because it didn't react to other antiarrhythmic medications. Since there is a scarcity of literature on the use of ivabradine in paediatric SVT, we are reporting this case. Ivabradine can be considered before resorting to invasive surgical ablation of the focus as ablation is associated with more complications.