Which medication is typically used to treat acute episodes of PSVT?

Adenosine is the medication typically used to treat acute episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). Its mechanism of action involves directly affecting the electrical conduction in the heart, particularly by slowing down the conduction through the atrioventricular (AV) node. This can interrupt the reentrant pathways responsible for PSVT, allowing the heart to return to a normal rhythm quickly. Adenosine is generally administered intravenously and acts almost immediately, making it the first-line treatment for acute management of this condition during episodes.

The other medications mentioned, while sometimes employed in the management of various types of tachycardia, are not the first choice for acute PSVT episodes. Propranolol and diltiazem can be utilized for rate control but are more suited for chronic management and prevention rather than immediate termination of an acute episode. Digoxin, on the other hand, is primarily used in the context of heart failure and atrial fibrillation for rate control and is not a typical first-line agent for acute PSVT situations.