ectopic atrial tachycardia

[Susan]

My 14 month old was just diagnosed with ectopic atrial tachycardia.  She was placed on Inderal.  We have had a difficult time with her adjusting to the medication (GI, ataxia and hypoglycemia).  Any other good medication options that we could then discuss with cardiologists?  Also wondering if there is much information available about this phenomena secondary to infection.

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Dear Susan,
Ectopic atrial tachycardia is a fast heart rate coming from an area other than the 'sinus node' (regular pacemaker) in the atrium.  Inderal is a beta-blocker and is often used for fast heart rates.  Calcium-channel blockers are an alternative drug that you could discuss with your doctor. I don't have any information on infection causing this.

[LINDA CAROLEO]

SUSAN, I also have ectopic atrial tachycardia.  Did your doctor tell you that your child got this from an infection?

Lin

[Crystal]

Susan,  my son, 1mo old, was also diagnosed with the same thing (EAT).  He was also put on inderol, and they switched him to sotalol (betapace).  It is stronger and has more side effects, but it is working for my son.  His heart rate was 210bpm, and is now 150-160bpm. One of the side effects is vomiting and dizziness. Dr. Ragan at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO.  Wonderful doctor.  Patients have to be admitted to try meds.  We just got home today.

[Joanne]

Dear Susan- My son is 6 years old and just got home from the hospital today with the diagnosis of Ectopic Atrial Tachycardia. He had a couple fainting spells and his heart rate was about 200 beats/min. For his age, he should be around 80-100. The diagnosis was made by an wonderful pediatric cardiologist. Initially to slow the heart rate down, (before diagnosis) they gave him Adenosine intravenously and is did not work. Thereby telling the doc that there was an ectopic source causing the heart to beat like that. He was admitted to the children's hospital and put on Atenolol. Within 1/2 hour after the first dose, I saw his heart rate on the monitor come down and his rhythm becoming "more normal". The regular sinus node (pacemaker) has once again begun to work but still the ectopic battles with it and his rate shoots up to 130-135. The doc says this is ok and that 100% conversion may never occur. He also said that there is no known reason for this occurance, no mention of an infection. He said that at some point in his life that some cells migrated across the heart and formed there own little pacemaker. However this new pacemaker is not controlled by the brain as is the regular S.A. node and can thus not slow down. It does what ever it wants. The Atenolol can control it so that the heart can pump normally again.
  My thoughts are with you and your new baby. My cardiologist also said that it is seen in newborns and that they tend to outgrow it in a year or so. I hope my son does as well. Take care, From: One Mother to Another

[Joanne]

Dear Susan- My son is 6 years old and just got home from the hospital today with the diagnosis of Ectopic Atrial Tachycardia. He had a couple fainting spells and his heart rate was about 200 beats/min. For his age, he should be around 80-100. The diagnosis was made by an wonderful pediatric cardiologist. Initially to slow the heart rate down, (before diagnosis) they gave him Adenosine intravenously and is did not work. Thereby telling the doc that there was an ectopic source causing the heart to beat like that. He was admitted to the children's hospital and put on Atenolol. Within 1/2 hour after the first dose, I saw his heart rate on the monitor come down and his rhythm becoming "more normal". The regular sinus node (pacemaker) has once again begun to work but still the ectopic battles with it and his rate shoots up to 130-135. The doc says this is ok and that 100% conversion may never occur. He also said that there is no known reason for this occurance, no mention of an infection. He said that at some point in his life that some cells migrated across the heart and formed there own little pacemaker. However this new pacemaker is not controlled by the brain as is the regular S.A. node and can thus not slow down. It does what ever it wants. The Atenolol can control it so that the heart can pump normally again.
  My thoughts are with you and your new baby. My cardiologist also said that it is seen in newborns and that they tend to outgrow it in a year or so. I hope my son does as well. Take care, From: One Mother to Another

[Joanne]

Dear Susan- My son is 6 years old and just got home from the hospital today with the diagnosis of Ectopic Atrial Tachycardia. He had a couple fainting spells and his heart rate was about 200 beats/min. For his age, he should be around 80-100. The diagnosis was made by an wonderful pediatric cardiologist. Initially to slow the heart rate down, (before diagnosis) they gave him Adenosine intravenously and is did not work. Thereby telling the doc that there was an ectopic source causing the heart to beat like that. He was admitted to the children's hospital and put on Atenolol. Within 1/2 hour after the first dose, I saw his heart rate on the monitor come down and his rhythm becoming "more normal". The regular sinus node (pacemaker) has once again begun to work but still the ectopic battles with it and his rate shoots up to 130-135. The doc says this is ok and that 100% conversion may never occur. He also said that there is no known reason for this occurance, no mention of an infection. He said that at some point in his life that some cells migrated across the heart and formed there own little pacemaker. However this new pacemaker is not controlled by the brain as is the regular S.A. node and can thus not slow down. It does what ever it wants. The Atenolol can control it so that the heart can pump normally again.
  My thoughts are with you and your new baby. My cardiologist also said that it is seen in newborns and that they tend to outgrow it in a year or so. I hope my son does as well. Take care, From: One Mother to Another

[Amy]

Our son was diagnosed with (EAT) at 4 months old and is now almost 9 months old, and is doing very well. His heart rate was at 190bpm-230bpm, and had gotten as high as 251bpm. He has been put on Inderal also to begin with and had side effects, so he was switched to Atenolol and Amiodarone. His heart rate went down into the 140-170 range, but he was not sleeping at all. They kept saying that Atenolol would make him tired, and not stay awake. WRONG!! We ended up going to a Dallas doctor, and now our son is doing a lot better. Now he is on Flecainide and Amiodarone and his heart rate is down in the 100-125 range. It dropped from 140bpm to 120bpm in one hour after he was started on Flecainide. He does have some arrythmias when he takes cough medicines and other medicines. We have to be real careful what we give him. We are hoping to get him off the Amiodarone though in about 2 weeks. We do hope he can keep a good heart rate without it. Doctors say that the medicines don't usually work for EAT and he will probably have to have the ablation when he is 4-5years old. Hopefully he will outgrow this by that time. We can only hope.

[Stephanie and Eric]

Our son is almost 1 month old and has been diagnosed with ectopic atrial tachycardia. I was scheduled to be induced. While I was hooked up to the fetal monitor, and before I was given any meds to start the induction process, his heart rate went from a normal rate to over 200 bpm.  A c-section was performed and he stayed in the NICU for 5 days.  Several procedures were performed to confirm the diagnosis.  He was given Dijoxin and Flecainide and we saw his heart rate return to a normal rate within a couple of days.  We continute to give hime both meds and he has had a lot of success with no side effects.  His cardiologist feels he should stay on the medication for two years.  There is much hope that he will outgrow this condition.

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