Catecholamine-dependent atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

An unusual case of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia precipitated by ethanol ingestion is presented. Programmed atrial and ventricular stimulation failed to induce the tachycardia during control conditions or after atropine administration. This failure to induce tachycardia was related to the absence of ventriculoatrial conduction. A low-dose isoproterenol infusion allowed induction of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia by the enhancement of ventriculoatrial conduction. This report suggests that programmed stimulation during isoproterenol infusion can be used to induce paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in suspected cases in whom induction during control conditions or after atropine administration is not possible.