title: Efficacy and safety of short intravenous amiodarone in supraventricular tachyarrhythmias.
abstract: The safety and efficacy of short intravenous therapy with amiodarone were evaluated in 44 patients (24 males, 20 females), aged 21-84 years, with supraventricular tachyarrhythmias newly arisen in less than 24 hours. The study group consisted of 15 patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, 8 patients with atrial flutter and 21 patients with atrial fibrillation. They were treated with a single infusion of amiodarone up to 2 hours after the restoration of a stable sinus rhythm, or up to a maximum dose of 2400 mg in 24 hours. Our study shows that 88.6% of all supraventricular tachyarrhythmias reverts to sinus rhythm in less than 24 hours: 100% of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, 75% of atrial flutter, and 85.7% of atrial fibrillation. Intravenously administered amiodarone proves to take effect rapidly (0.5 to 22 hours). The plasma amiodarone concentrations at sinus rhythm restoration showed a wide range (405-3800 ng/ml). Piecewise analysis suggested that the probability of sinus rhythm was 14.4-fold greater in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. No linear statistical relationship was detectable between the log-dose-body mass index and log-QTc. Total amiodarone dose and left atrial volume are inversely correlated with a statistically significant difference. The toxicity in our short intravenous course with amiodarone was not relevant. We conclude that short high-dose intravenous amiodarone shows efficacy and safety in all newly occurring supraventricular tachyarrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: DEA Medicina C Ospedale G. Bosco of Turin.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vietti-Ramus
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veglio
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Marchisio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burzio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D013614:Tachycardia, Paroxysmal / Q000188:drug therapy; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000638:Amiodarone