COMPARATIVE ANTIARRHYTHMIC EFFICACY OF AL LAPININ, ETACIZIN AND BONNECOR IN PATIENTS WITH PAROXYSMAL VENTRICULAR-TACHYCARDIA ASSESSED BY HOLTER ECG

Comparative antiarrhythmic efficacy of oral allapinin, etacizin and bo nnecor was assessed in 43 patients with paroxysmal ventricular tachyca rdia. Holter ECG monitoring was used as a control. Suppression of more than 50% of total ventricular ectopic beats, a 90% decrease in the nu mber of paired ventricular premature beats and complete alleviation of ventricular tachycardia were used as criteria of efficacy. These crit eria were met in 59%, 52% and 60% of patients during short courses of treatment by allapinin, etacizin and bonnecor, respectively. Patients with positive results of hospital drug testing continued to take them outpatiently. During long term (up to 8 years) therapy recurrencies of ventricular tachycardia occurred in 44%, 36%, and 50% of patients tre ated by allapinin, etacizin and bonnecor, respectively, Most of the re currencies occurred during first 4 months after the dischange from hos pital. The results indicated that information obtained at 24-hour Holt er ECG monitoring was not sufficient for prediction of long-term clini cal efficacy of allapinin, etacizin or bonnecor in patients with paroz ysmal ventricular tachycardia.