title: Efficacy, safety, and tolerance of d-sotalol in patients with refractory supraventricular tachyarrhythmias.
abstract: The efficacy, safety, and electrophysiologic effects of intravenous and oral d-sotalol, an investigational class III antiarrhythmic agent, are not yet well characterized. We evaluated the electrophysiologic, antiarrhythmic, and hemodynamic effects of d-sotalol infusion (1.5 to 2.75 mg/kg) and of chronic oral therapy (200 to 400 mg bid) in 10 patients with chronic, paroxysmal supraventricular tachyarrhythmias refractory to 5 +/- 2 standard agents. Four patients had paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), four had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, two had atrial flutter, and one had nonparoxysmal reciprocating junctional tachycardia (NPRJT). PSVT was inducible or spontaneously present in 4 of 4 before d-sotalol. After intravenous d-sotalol PSVT was noninducible in three patients and slowed by 40% in one. Atrial fibrillation was inducible or spontaneously present in 4 of 4 before therapy. After intravenous d-sotalol, one became noninducible, and three achieved rate-slowing (the mean falling from 69 to 61 bpm). In one patient, atrial flutter became noninducible; in another, d-sotalol slowed the rate of atrial flutter by 28%. D-sotalol restored sinus rhythm in the patient with NPRJT. Intravenous d-sotalol increased the sinus cycle length; the QTc, PR, and AH intervals; and the AV nodal functional refractory period, the AV nodal effective refractory period; and the right ventricular effective refractory period significantly. The atrial effective refractory period, sinoatrial conduction time, and corrected sinus recovery time tended to increase, but did not reach statistical significance. The QRS, PA, and HV intervals did not change. Mean BP fell 13.4 +/- 9.2% after intravenous d-sotalol, but no adverse symptoms developed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Columbia University--College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY.
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Sahar
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Reiffel
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bigger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Squatrito
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kidwell
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000188:drug therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D013015:Sotalol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013613:Tachycardia, Ectopic Junctional / Q000188:drug therapy; D013614:Tachycardia, Paroxysmal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D013015:Sotalol