Antiarrhythmic agents

Abstract

Symptomatic cardiac arrhythmias are relatively uncommon in childhood, accounting for about 5% of the emergency hospital admissions. Atrial tachyarrhythmias are the most common rate and rhythm disturbance in this population. With the advent of effective ablation therapy, management of arrhythmia has undergone dramatic change. A clear understanding of the mechanisms that initiate the rhythm disturbances and the various pharmacological agents that are used would enable optimal management of arrhythmias. Some of the agents that are licensed for use in children are discussed in this article.