Case 15: Diagnosis

1. What is your ECG rhythm diagnosis?

Supraventricular tachycardia

Atrial fibrillation

Ventricular tachycardia

Nodal tachycardia

2. What physical maneuver might you perform to “break” this tachycardia?

Exercise the dog on a treadmill.

Try to scare him by banging pots and pans

Hit the chest over the region of the left apex with your fist.

Perform a rectal examination.

3. Which one of the following drugs might you use now to treat the arrhythmia?

Diltiazem intravenously

Lidocaine intravenously

Lidocaine orally

Procainamide orally

4. Which one of the following drugs or drug classes would you generally not use long-term to treat the arrhythmia?

Calcium channel blocker (e.g., diltiazem, verapamil)

Lidocaine

Beta blocker (e.g., propranolol, atenolol)

Class III antiarrhythmic agent (e.g., sotalol)

Case 15 — Diagnosis