Electrophysiologic response to moricizine in patients with sustained ventricular arrhythmias.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the short-term efficacy and safety of moricizine in patients receiving electrophysiologically guided therapy for sustained ventricular arrhythmias refractory to treatment with class IA antiarrhythmic agents.


METHODS
Uncontrolled clinical trial.


METHODS
Referral-based teaching medical center.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients (18 of whom had coronary artery disease) with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 32% +/- 11% who presented with sustained ventricular tachycardia (13 patients), syncope (4 patients), or cardiac arrest (4 patients).


METHODS
Moricizine, 743 +/- 85 mg daily.


METHODS
Electrophysiologic testing in the drug-free state and after administration of moricizine unless sustained arrhythmias occurred.


RESULTS
Sustained ventricular tachycardia was inducible in the absence of antiarrhythmic drugs in 20 patients and was not suppressed by moricizine in any patient. Four patients had six episodes of spontaneous ventricular tachycardia while receiving moricizine. A probable proarrhythmic response occurred in four patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with compromised left ventricular function caused by coronary artery disease in whom class IA antiarrhythmics were ineffective, moricizine was ineffective in suppressing sustained ventricular arrhythmias and resulted in proarrhythmic effects in some patients.
Powell
A C
AC
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Gold
M R
MR
Brooks
R
R
Garan
H
H
Ruskin
J N
JN
McGovern
B A
BA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016293:Moricizine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
D016293:Moricizine