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Letters

Supraventricular tachycardia

Weekitt Kittisupamongkol
MJA 2009; 190 (11): 653

To the Editor: I read with interest the article by Medi and colleagues,1 but note that the authors do not mention the effect of supraventricular tachycardia on atrial natriuretic peptide — a hormone that causes vasodilation and renal excretion of sodium and water. Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide increase markedly during supraventricular tachycardia.2 Pacing studies reveal that release of atrial natriuretic peptide occurs when the heart rate is greater than 120 beats/min.3 The resultant diuresis would lead to an urge to urinate and, in a prolonged episode of tachycardia, to polyuria.4,5

Weekitt Kittisupamongkol, Research Associate

Research Affairs, Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand.

weekittiATgmail.com

  1. Medi C, Kalman JM, Freedman SB. Supraventricular tachycardia. Med J Aust 2009; 190: 255-260. <PubMed>
  2. Kojima S, Fujii T, Ohe T, et al. Physiologic changes during supraventricular tachycardia and release of atrial natriuretic peptide. Am J Cardiol 1988; 62: 576-579. <PubMed>
  3. Vesely DL. Atrial natriuretic peptides in pathophysiological diseases. Cardiovasc Res 2001; 51: 647-658. <PubMed>
  4. Fox DJ, Tischenko A, Krahn AD, et al. Supraventricular tachycardia: diagnosis and management. Mayo Clin Proc 2008; 83: 1400-1411. <PubMed>
  5. Delacrétaz E. Supraventricular tachycardia. N Engl J Med 2006; 354: 1039-1051. <PubMed>

(Received 2 Mar 2009, accepted 7 Apr 2009)


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©The Medical Journal of Australia 2009 www.mja.com.au PRINT ISSN: 0025-729X ONLINE ISSN: 1326-5377