title: The ESVEM trial: impact on treatment of ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Electrophysiologic Study Versus Electrocardiographic Monitoring.
abstract: The ESVEM (Electrophysiologic Study Versus Electrocardiographic Monitoring) trial was a prospective, randomized study, initiated in 1983, to compare the outcome of patients in whom antiarrhythmic therapy was guided by serial electrophysiological study with the outcome of patients in whom therapy was guided by electrocardiographic monitoring. In a surprising finding, there was no difference in rates of arrhythmia recurrence or mortality between the two methods. Subsequent reanalyses using more stringent criteria for both methods or a combined assessment have not significantly improved the predictive accuracy of guided therapy. Because drug therapy in each limb was also randomized, a comparison of specific antiarrhythmic agents was also possible: sotalol therapy and the absence of previous antiarrhythmic drug therapy were associated with a reduction in arrhythmia recurrence. Survey data suggest that the results of this trial have influenced clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000379:methods; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*