Beneficial antiarrhythmic effect of beta-blockade in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.
Antiarrhythmic effects of beta-blockade (BB) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy were compared with those of various antiarrhythmic agents using ambulatory Holter monitoring. The BB therapy effectively suppressed ventricular extrasystoles (VEs) in 85% of patients, as evidenced by improvement in Lown's grade or a reduction in the number of the highest grade VEs greater than 50%. In contrast, conventional antiarrhythmic agents, except flecainaid and amiodarone, were poorly effective in suppressing VEs. BB therapy gradually increased left ventricular fractional shortening (16 +/- 6% to 22 +/- 12%) and improved 12-month survival rates as compared with those receiving conventional therapy (93 vs 69%). This antiarrhythmic potency seemed to be an additional therapeutic efficacy of BB in the management of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, which frequently associated with serious VEs.
Third Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
K
K
Kihara
Y
Y
Koga
T
T
Wada
H
H
Toshima
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005117:Cardiac Complexes, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents