title: Propafenone versus quinidine slow-release for the treatment of chronic ventricular arrhythmias.
abstract: The efficacy and side-effects of oral propafenone 300 mg b.i.d. were compared to those of quinidine slow-release 800 mg b.i.d. in a randomized double-blind placebo controlled cross-over study in 12 patients with symptomatic premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). Furthermore during steady-state the plasma levels of propafenone and quinidine were measured repeatedly over an 8-hour period and correlated to the numbers of PVCs. In 6 patients both drugs reduced PVCs by 80%. In 2 patients this effect was obtained by propafenone and not by quinidine, while the reverse was found in another 2 patients. In 2 patients neither of the drugs was able to reduce PVCs by 80%. During treatment with quinidine 4 patients experienced diarrhoea and 1 patient suffered headaches taking propafenone. The plasma levels showed great variation. No correlation between the plasma levels expressed as area under the concentration-time curve and the reduction of PVCs was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kommunehospitalet and Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sørum
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005117:Cardiac Complexes, Premature / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011405:Propafenone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011802:Quinidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D011405:Propafenone; D011802:Quinidine