Drug Safety
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Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia caused by atrioventricular re-entry is the most frequent arrhythmia in children of all age groups. It represents the most frequent clinical situation where antiarrhythmic drug therapy has to be considered in a child. Acute termination of an episode of tachycardia in all paediatric age groups is nowadays best achieved with an intravenous bolus injection of adenosine. ⋯ However, in infants and smaller children, ablation is used as a last resort. Rare forms of paediatric supraventricular tachycardia (other than atrioventricular re-entry through the atrioventricular node or accessory pathways) are occasionally difficult to treat and present special problems. For each of these arrhythmias, a specially tailored individual therapeutic approach is needed.