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.
Kihara
K
K
Third Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Koga
Y
Y
Wada
T
T
Toshima
H
H
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