Pharmacological Therapy in Children with Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter

Title: Pharmacological Therapy in Children with Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter

Volume: 14 Issue: 8

Author(s): Giovanni Fazio, Claudia Visconti, Luciana D'Angelo, Giuseppina Novo, Giuseppe Barbaro and Salvatore Novo

Affiliation:

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, children, treatment

Abstract: Heart rhythm disorders in children are not different, on electrocardiographic trace, from heart rhythm disorders in adults with the exception of incidence which is different according to the age. Paticularly, atrial flutter (FlA) and fibrillation (FA) are very uncommon arrhythmias in the general pediatric population. Generally atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, in our experience, is a temporary heart rhythm disturbance connected to specifical and resovable reasons with the exception of Fontains surgical correction of congenital heart diseases or cardiopathies with dilatation of both atria. Presenting symptoms, symptom history (e.g., frequency, duration, and severity), risk assessment, previous response to alternative treatment options, convenience and patient preference for a specific treatment option, and costeffectiveness of a treatment option are among the many factors that should be considered. Treatment of atrial flutter and fibrillation in pediatric age involves several options: Pharmacological therapy, Transoesophageal atrial pacing (TEAP), Electrical cardioversion and Catheter ablation. In this review we evaluated the physiopathology, the clinical features and the current terapeutical strategies for these arrythmias in paediatric age.

Cite this article as:

Fazio Giovanni, Visconti Claudia, D'Angelo Luciana, Novo Giuseppina, Barbaro Giuseppe and Novo Salvatore, Pharmacological Therapy in Children with Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2008; 14 (8) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161208784007707