Role of electrophysiologic techniques in the selection of antiarrhythmic drug regimens for ventricular arrhythmias.
Programmed electrical stimulation of the heart provides a useful new technique for guiding the selection of antiarrhythmic drug regimens in selected patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation. The technique of programmed electrical stimulation has been applied successfully in patients with recurrent sustained VT, out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation and unexplained syncope in the presence of structural heart disease. The complete suppression of VT induced by programmed electrical stimulation by a drug regimen is highly predictive of freedom from both recurrent VT and sudden death. In addition, this technique may hold promise as a means of assessing the arrhythmogenic effects of antiarrhythmic drugs in selected patients.
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D013997:Time Factors
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents