Pharmacy and Wellness Review
Abstract
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is characterized by sudden, brief, intermittent episodes that result in a heart rate of 150 to 250 beats per minute (bpm). PSVT is difficult to diagnose, making proper treatment challenging. According to the 2015 American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC)/Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) guidelines, current pharmacologic recommendations for PSVT include adenosine, verapamil, diltiazem, or nonpharmacologic vagal maneuvers.1 These treatments each have a variety of adverse effects, contraindications, and dosing considerations, which highlight a need for novel therapies for the acute treatment and maintenance of PSVT.1 The NODE-301 trial assessed the safety and efficacy of intranasal etripamil for converting a PSVT episode to normal sinus rhythm (NSR) in the outpatient setting.2 A follow-up study, the RAPID trial, demonstrated that etripamil achieved a more rapid conversion to NSR compared to placebo.3 This on-demand approach enables patients to self-administer therapy at symptom onset, potentially reducing emergency department utilization and shifting management toward earlier outpatient intervention.4 Approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 12, 2025, etripamil is indicated for converting acute symptomatic PSVT to normal sinus rhythm in adults.5
Included in
Cardiology Commons, Cardiovascular Diseases Commons, Medical Pathology Commons, Medical Pharmacology Commons, Medical Physiology Commons, Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Commons, Pharmaceutics and Drug Design Commons, Pharmacology Commons