title: [Treatment of recurrent ventricular tachycardias using oral propafenone].
abstract: The effect of oral propafenone on prevention of pacing-induced ventricular tachycardia (VT) was studied in 11 patients. All patients experienced documented sustained VT refractory to 4.1 +/- 2 antiarrhythmic agents per patient including amiodarone in 8. Programmed electrical stimulation was performed before and 48-72 hours after oral propafenone (900 mg/day) 2-3 hours after the last dose. Two patients developed spontaneous incessant VT before the scheduled date of the study on propafenone, and were classified as aggravation. Propafenone prevented pacing-induced VT in 2 patients (successful results). In 3 additional patients the results were partial, as non-sustained VT was induced on propafenone whereas sustained VT could be provoked during the control study. In the remaining 4 patients, oral propafenone failed to prevent pacing-induced VT. Tachycardia cycle length increased in 3 (C = 284 +/- 129 P = 450 +/- 202 ms) and was shorter in 1 aggravation. The 5 patients with successful or partial results (45.4 p. cent), underwent long-term therapy with a mean follow up of 5.6 +/- 4 months. Recurrence of VT occurred in 2. The remaining 3 are well controlled. This study demonstrates that propafenone is able to prevent pacing-induced VT in a limited number of patients. Stimulation techniques are useful in order to detect patients with potential pro-arrhythmic effect.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011405:Propafenone; D011427:Propiophenones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D011427:Propiophenones; D011405:Propafenone
vernacular_title: Traitement des tachycardies ventriculaires récidivantes par la propafénone orale.