A case of atrial tachycardia treated with ivabradine as bridge to ablation.

ABSTRACT

Ivabradine is indicated in cardiac failure and ischemia to reduce sinus rate by inhibition of the pacemaker I(f) current in sinoatrial node. We report a case of an 18-year-old woman with left atrial tachyarrhythmia resistant to several antiarrhythmic drugs and to electric cardioversion who responded only to ivabradine, which significantly reduced heart rate without abolishing the arrhythmia itself. An ectopic focus in the ostium of left pulmonary veins was found and the patient was successfully ablated. We suggest that ivabradine might be therefore useful in the treatment of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias due to an enhanced automaticity.