title: Evaluation of amiodarone therapy in the treatment of drug-resistant cardiac arrhythmias: long-term follow-up.
abstract: The clinical efficacy of amiodarone in the management of complex cardiac arrhythmias refractory to therapy with two or more conventional or other investigational antiarrhythmic agents was determined by long-term follow-up in patients who had received the drug for at least 3 months. A total of 181 patients, classified into four groups (group 1, supraventricular arrhythmias, n = 42; group 2, frequent ventricular premature complexes, n = 46; group 3, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, n = 16; and group 4, sustained ventricular tachycardia, n = 77) received a daily maintenance dose of 200 to 800 mg amiodarone for up to 30 months. There was a total of 26 deaths (14%). Ten of these were probably attributable to arrhythmia, although all patients had either good or excellent response to therapy over a mean follow-up of 14.9 months prior to death. The drug had to be permanently discontinued because of side effects in only three patients, and in the majority of patients with side effects, symptoms could be alleviated with adjustment of dosage, thyroid replacement therapy, or temporary cessation of therapy. We conclude that amiodarone is highly effective in high-risk patients with complex refractory cardiac arrhythmias, and that close monitoring and prompt recognition of side effects and appropriate adjustment of dosage or institution of supplemental or replacement therapy (in less than 5% of patients) will allow continuation of amiodarone. The benefit of suppression of symptomatic arrhythmias and the potential of prevention of sudden death clearly outweigh the modest incidence of severe side effects.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014859:Warfarin / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D014859:Warfarin; D004077:Digoxin; D000638:Amiodarone