TIL Adenosine is an organic compound that, when injected, stops the heart for a few seconds and is used to treat heartbeats, that are too fast (140-250bpm), in effect turning it off an on again.

I’ve had it done couple times to attempt stop tachycardia. My heart used to randomly get stuck in sinus rhythm at 180bpm, which was annoying.

Adenosine blocks electrical signals through the atrio-ventricular (AV) node for a second or two. So you appear to flatline on an ECG. It never worked for me. A Diltiazem injection was what reliably worked to reset my rhythm.

I’ve since had a cardiac ablation to fix my hearts fucked up wiring. A doctor sends a scope into an artery in your leg, travels up to your heart, finds the cells that are causing electrical impulses to loop uncontrollably, then burns them.

It’s about a 45 min procedure door to door, and it’s the equivalent of removing some excess solder from a bad circuit board. So yet another IT department inspired fix.

Catheter ablation team unite! 👏
- Rise up with sore groins!
My mom's about to get this done. How is the recovery? Is there anything I should consider so that I'm useful helo if needed after the procedure?
- Pretty unremarkable. You basically can't lift anything heavy for a few weeks so you don't break the old artery incision. Your mom will basically need you to be a butler / maid for a few days.
- I was back at work (at a computer) the next day. Recovery was fairly simple. I don't recall any major meds being needed and I wasn't in pain.

Brought to you by your local IT support department.

Subject: Fire.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Fire - exclamation mark - fire - exclamation mark - help me - exclamation mark. 123 Cavendon Road. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours truly, Maurice Moss.
- 0118 999 881 999 119 725….3

Ha, did you see that paramedic social media video too? I just learned about this yesterday from him.

Lol can you link it. Haven't seen it I am just very big into wikipedia ever since I was put on welbutron
- Haha what a coincidence! Here’s the video I saw: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-Q0q1JSd0L/?igsh=ZTcwb296OWNsNWtu

Hey, I saw that Youtube short with the fireman guy that does the funny skits too.

Saw that one too
- Me three.
  
  "I hate adenosine"

Now attach three phosphate ions and watch it go brrr.

Right, that’s ATP, right?
- If my math is right, yeah.

Is this the stuff that causes the “impending doom” sensation? That stuff’s weird.

I kinda wanna try it

See.. I told you.. A reboot will fix it

Have gotten a dose of this before in the ER. Absolutely do not recommend!!

Do I even want to know? Must feel like you're dying?
- Ive never rexperienced anything like it. It happens extremely fast. Dr injected into the IV and instantaneously every muscle in my body contracted (at least that's what it felt like), I lost my vision temporarily although my eyes were still open. Similarly I couldn't hear anything either. I was filled with an extreme feeling of...rushing...adrenaline... Really hard to describe. I felt my heart give one last big THUMP and then stop.
  
  And suddenly, my heart started again. My vision and hearing restored, I was back in the ER surrounded by Dr and nurses and techs. Breathing hard, somewhat confused and experiencing a little twinge in my back from the contractions.
  
  The whole experience took maybe 3-4 seconds. It felt like minutes.
- That's exactly what's happening(for a short moment).
No? What's it like?

Isn’t that the stuff caffeine blocks that builds up in your brain over the day?

Yes adenosine A2 receptor. Actually I just checked and apparently A1 and A2a.

I should probably carry this, my heart likes to randomly decide 220bpm is a good idea every now and then.

If that's true, go get checked out. Tachycardia is often easily treated but can be a serious issue if you ignore it.
- Yeah I'm lucky I guess that my particular condition is deemed not serious enough to warrant carrying medication. Just gotta live with it, thoroughly unpleasant when it happens though!
220bpm? That's a solid blast beat tempo.

When I run my heart caps out at around 186. I can't even imagine what 220 feels like.

So this is the formula you use to make the heart stop for a short time. Magic is amazing.