title: [Drug therapy of ventricular arrhythmias].
abstract: In patients with no or only mild structural heart disease, spontaneous ventricular ectopy which causes symptoms is being treated with beta receptor antagonists, sotalol, or in rare cases with class I substances. For primary prevention of sudden death, for instance in survivors of myocardial infarction, beta receptor antagonists are the only substances for which benefit has been demonstrated in large scale trials. In contrast, class I agents are contraindicated for this purpose. In secondary prevention of sudden death in patients with a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, treatment with sotalol or amiodarone can be considered. However, nonpharmacological therapy by means of implantable defibrillators is increasingly applied in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik IV, Universitätsklinikum Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hohnloser
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D013015:Sotalol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D013015:Sotalol