Comparison of the results of electrophysiologic testing after short-term and long-term treatment with amiodarone in patients with ventricular tachycardia.
The results of electrophysiologic testing after short-term and long-term treatment with amiodarone were compared in 71 patients with ventricular tachycardia. Electrophysiologic testing was performed in the baseline state after 11 +/- 3 days of treatment with 1.2 to 2.4 gm/day of amiodarone, and after 13 +/- 4 weeks of therapy with a daily amiodarone dose of 400 mg. After short-term therapy, 62% of the patients had an adequate response to amiodarone. In 27 patients who were hemodynamically unstable, ventricular tachycardia was induced and became noninducible or hemodynamically stable after combination therapy with a class I agent. Among 18 patients who did not have inducible ventricular tachycardia after short-term therapy, eight (44%) had inducible, hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia after long-term treatment with amiodarone. On the other hand, six of the 27 patients who had hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia after short-term therapy had an adequate response after long-term treatment with amiodarone. Therefore an adequate electrophysiologic response after short-term therapy does not guarantee a similar response after long-term treatment, and an inadequate response after short-term therapy does not always predict a similar response after long-term therapy.
Rosenheck
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0022.
Sousa
J
J
Calkins
H
H
Schmaltz
S
S
deBuitleir
M
M
Kadish
A H
AH
Morady
F
F
D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
D000638:Amiodarone