Adenosine, an endogenous purine nucleoside, induces transient atrioventricular blockade (AVB) by suppressing sinus and atrioventricular node conduction. A lower intravenous dose (3-12 mg) is commonly used as an antiarrhythmic agent. Adenosine is also a known potent vasodilator of coronary and cerebral resistance vessels [1,101]. Adenosine acts on the A2 cell membrane receptor to increase the potent vasodilator cAMP; its action on this receptor is inhibited by both caffeine and theophylline. Adenosine is competitively antagonized by methylxanthines and potentiated by blockers of nucleoside transport such as dipyridamole. Adenosine-induced bradycardia is unlikely to be reversed by atropine. Adenosine has been effectively administered in the presence of quinidine, b-blockers, calcium-channel blocker agents and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, without any change in the adverse reaction profile. Digoxin and verapamil use may be rarely associated with ventricular fibrillation when combined with adenosine. Carbamazepine has been reported to increase the degree of heart block produced by other agents [101].In healthy coronary arteries, the vasodilator response to the rise in cAMP during the standard protocol adenosine infusion results in a fourto five-fold increase in coronary blood flow. Therefore, adenosine has been used effectively in pharmacological myocardial stress tests [2]. Is it too safe? In coronary artery disease, the predisposing factors to the development of regional ischemia (or even myocardial infarction) from adenosine infusion included transmural steal or diversion of blood from the subendocardium to the subepicardium in territory supplied by a stenosed vessel, reduction of distal perfusion pressure arising from increased flow across a stenosis and a generalized fall in perfusion pressure secondary to adenosine-induced vasodilatation with a reduction in flow through high-resistance collateral vessels supplying vulnerable territory [2].
"Higher doses of adenosine causehigh-degree AVB, resulting in ventricular asystole and profound hypotension."Therapeutically, adenosine is commonly used to treat supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). After a bolus injection, the heart rate is dosedependently reduced until a complete AVB is reached. However, this effect on the atrioventricular node is transient and of short duration owing to the rapid inactivation of adenosine in human plasma by uptake into erythrocytes and endothelial cells. Is it too safe? Higher doses of adenosine cause high-degree AVB, resulting in ventricular asystole and profound hypotension. Therefore, doses greater than 12 mg are not recommended for adult or pediatric patients [101]. AVB is not uncommon when adenosine infusions are given during cardiac stress testing. In one study of 600 patients, adenosine infusion (140 µg/kg/min for 6 min) produced first-, second-and third-degree AVB in 13, 10 and 2% of patients, respectively [5,101]. The frequency of AVB depended upon the age group. The conduction block was of short duration and did not r...