REPETITIVE NONPAROXYSMAL VENTRICULAR-TACH YCARDIA .2. EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTIARRHYTHMIC DRUGS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF A LONG-TERM COURSE

A total of 20 patients with repetitive nonparoxysmal ventricular tachy cardia (RNVT) underwent Holter ECG monitoring to test efficacy of succ essive oral antiarrhythmic drugs. The response was recorded in 50% of the patients. Although the effect of the drugs persisted for a few mon ths only, RNVT ran without severe symptoms, in contrast to paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia. Long-term course of RNVT is characterized by dilatation of the left ventricular compartment under increasing ejecti on fraction and absence of cardiac insufficiency. A close relationship exists between the end-diastolic volume, ejection fraction of the lef t ventricle and RNVT duration. This is attributed to heart adaptation to long-term activity in the conditions of tachycardia.