Arrhythmia prophylaxis after aorta-coronary bypass. The effect of minidose propranolol.
After aorta-coronary bypass grafting, 164 consecutive patients were randomized to receive propranolol 5 mg every 6 hours orally (n = 82) or to serve as control subjects (n = 82). All patients were receiving beta blockers preoperatively. There were no significant differences between the two groups. The incidence of sustained supraventricular (nonsinus) tachyarrhythmias was 23% in the control group and 9.8% in the treated group (p = 0.02). The incidence of ventricular arrhythmias was 15% in the control group and 2.4% in the treated group (p = 0.005). The overall difference in clinically important arrhythmias was 38% in the control group and 12.2% in the treated group (p = 0.0002). We conclude that low-dose oral propranolol in patients who were receiving beta blockers preoperatively is effective in reducing the incidence of clinically important arrhythmias occurring after aorta-coronary bypass grafting.
D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011433:Propranolol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation
D004077:Digoxin; D011433:Propranolol