title: Hemodynamic effects of amiodarone during acute and chronic treatment in patients with recurrent sustained ventricular tachycardia.
abstract: In 15 patients with recurrent ventricular tachycardia, the hemodynamic effects of amiodarone were evaluated under oral loading (1000 mg/day for 14-16 days) and during chronic treatment (600 mg/day for a further 10 weeks). In all patients, coronary artery disease was present with a mean ejection fraction of 37%+/- 10%. The cardiac output during the sinus rhythm, as determined by thermodilution, did not change significantly during loading with amiodarone. During ventricular tachycardia, the cardiac output increased from 3.7 +/- 1.3 to 4.5 +/- 1.6 1/min under the influence of amiodarone in 5 patients. Echocardiographic measurements of the left ventricle dimensions did not show a directed change of the enddiastolic and endsystolic diameters and the fraction shortening at the end of the loading period and after 3 months of maintenance therapy. No negative inotropic effect of amiodarone could be demonstrated in patients with recurrent ventricular tachycardia and impaired left ventricular function due to coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Universitätsklinik, Innere Medizin-Kardiologie, Bonn.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lüderitz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000638:Amiodarone