title: [Risk stratification and long-term therapy with amiodarone in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy].
abstract: Patients with cardiomyopathy are known to suffer from a high prevalence of tachyarrhythmic complications and sudden cardiac death. In a prospective study, 30 patients (25 men, 5 women, mean age: 52 +/- 12 years) with dilated cardiomyopathy underwent 48-h-Holter monitoring and programmed electrical stimulation and, independent from the results of the diagnostic work-up, were then randomized either to amiodarone or to a conventional or no antiarrhythmic therapy. At baseline, frequent ventricular arrhythmias (> 30 ventricular premature beats/h) were observed in 15/30 patients (50%), 13 patients (43%) had repetitive ventricular arrhythmias, additionally. Four patients suffered spontaneous sustained tachyarrhythmias. During programmed electrical stimulation, sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia was induced in 3/3 patients with and in 1/25 patients (4%) without a history of sustained tachycardia. Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia was induced with one to two extrastimuli; three extrastimuli only increased the incidence of inducible ventricular fibrillation (8 patients, 28%). During a mean follow-up of 28 +/- 6 months 10/30 patients (33%) died for cardiac reasons (sudden cardiac death: 4/10 patients). Cardiac death was most likely in patients with a left-ventricular ejection fraction < 35% (5/18 patients, 28% versus 1/12 patients with ejection fraction > 35%, 8%) and further increased in the presence of reduced exercise tolerance and frequent and repetitive ventricular arrhythmias (4/7 patients, 57%). In the amiodarone group 4/15 patients died (27%, sudden cardiac death: one patient), while in patients not treated by amiodarone 8/15 patients died (54%; sudden cardiac death: three patients). Amiodarone therapy was well tolerated in all but one patient.
authors: Innere Medizin III, Universitätsklinik Freiburg.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Zehender
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Faber
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Furtwängler
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Hohnloser
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Meinertz
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Just
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000638:Amiodarone
vernacular_title: Risikostratifikation und Langzeittherapie mit Amiodaron bei Patienten mit idiopathischer dilativer Kardiomyopathie.