title: A controlled study on the effect of verapamil on atrial tachycaarrhythmias in patients with brady-tachy syndrome implanted with a DDDR pacemaker.
abstract: While verapamil has been proposed as a treatment for reducing electrophysiological remodeling due to atrial fibrillation and atrial tachyarrhythmias, no previous study has tested its effects in brady-tachy patients implanted with a dual-chamber pacemaker. Fourteen patients with frequent episodes of atrial fibrillation (> or =2 episodes/month) in the setting of brady-tachy syndrome, implanted with a DDDR pacing system with extensive monitor function (Selection 900, Vitatron) were enrolled. Four months after implantation, they were randomly allocated to a 2-month period of treatment with verapamil (240 mg/day) or to no treatment, followed by a crossover. The burden of atrial tachyarrhythmias, the total number of hours spent in atrial tachyarrhythmia and the mean number of hours per day spent in atrial tachyarrhythmia were retrieved from diagnostic devices. The accuracy of atrial tachyarrhythmias detection was confirmed independently by two observers. The main results showed that treatment with verapamil was associated with a trend towards an higher percentage of atrial pacing in comparison with control (mean value+/-S.D.=63.2+/-29.9% vs. 57.3+/-30.6%, median value 53% vs. 49%, P value at Wilcoxon signed rank test=0.069), but without any significant reduction in atrial tachyarrhythmia burden (4.5+/-11.8 vs. 3.3+/-9.1%) or total hours spent in atrial tachyarrhythmia (65+/-161 vs. 48+/-131 h). Palpitation episodes were not significantly reduced by verapamil treatment in comparison with control (10.3+/-7.8 vs. 6.1+/-6.5). In conclusion, verapamil does not exert any beneficial effect on documented episodes of atrial tachyarrhythmia in patients with brady-tachy syndrome implanted with a DDDR device. Moreover, this drug was ineffective in reducing the number of palpitation episodes reported by the patient.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Cardiologia, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. cardio1@med.unibo.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boriani
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertaglia
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carboni
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latini
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biffi
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martignani
authors.forename: Fortunata
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sciotto
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Branzi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000628:therapy*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome; D013612:Tachycardia, Ectopic Atrial / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014700:Verapamil / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D014700:Verapamil