title: [Comparative effects of anti-arrhythmia agents on ventricular refractory period and prevention of ventricular tachycardia induced by stimulation].
abstract: The efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs is attributed to their actions on the refractory periods or conduction velocity in the reentry circuit. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between these factors and the prevention of electrically inducible ventricular tachycardia (VT). Twenty-seven patients with sustained monomorphic postinfarction VT underwent programmed stimulation under basal conditions and after administration of oral Class I antiarrhythmic drugs. The protocol of stimulation consisted of delivering one to three extrastimuli to the right ventricular apex on two basic cycle lengths. Sustained VT was induced in all patients. After the same protocol under antiarrhythmic therapy (1 to 5 tests, average 2.9 +/- 1) sustained VT could not be induced in 12 patients (44%). The effective right ventricular refractory period was significantly increased in patients without inducible VT under treatment (247 +/- 18 versus 302 +/- 26 ms). The increase in the right ventricular effective refractory period in patients with persistence of inducible VT was much less (from 270 +/- 28 to 287 +/- 30 ms). In all patients in whom several antiarrhythmic drugs were tested the right ventricular effective refractory period was higher when the treatment was judged to be effective (299 +/- 27 ms) than ineffective (272 +/- 27, p < 0.02). The prevention of inducible VT by class I antiarrhythmic agents seems therefore to be related to their effect on the ventricular refractory period.
authors.affiliation: Service de cardiologie, Hôpital Nord, Marseille.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bru
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Collet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Metge
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cointe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gérard
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lévy
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
vernacular_title: Effets comparés des antiarythmiques sur la période réfractaire ventriculaire et sur la prévention des tachycardies ventriculaires induites par stimulation.