title: Antiarrhythmic drugs and devices for the management of ventricular tachyarrhythmia in ischemic heart disease.
abstract: Ischemic heart disease is the most frequent cardiac abnormality in patients with sustained or nonsustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The goals of therapy in such patients are to decrease the severity and incidence of symptoms and prolong life. In this article, we review the current views on antiarrhythmic drug therapy and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in patients with ischemic heart disease. The importance of beta blockade as part of the therapy is emphasized. In addition, the superiority of sotalol and amiodarone over class I drugs, the benefits of combined treatment with amiodarone and a beta blocker, and the impact and limitations of current trials comparing the effectiveness of drug therapy with that of an ICD are all considered. Also discussed is the combined use of an antiarrhythmic drug and an ICD. In this approach sotalol is generally the agent of choice, with amiodarone the second choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Reiffel
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blitzer
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000145:classification* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents