CARVEDILOL - CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE IN ARRHYTHMIAS

The pharmacological profile of carvedilol incorporating beta-adrenocep tor antagonism, weak alpha-blocking activity and slight calcium channe l blockade indicates its anti-arrhythmic potential, but there are litt le data on its efficacy in this regard. Experimental animal studies ha ve demonstrated that the drug reduces the number of premature ventricu lar contractions during both short-term and prolonged myocardial ische mia. In the relatively few open studies conducted in patients with hyp ertension, angina pectoris or heart failure complicated by a variety o f ventricular arrhythmias, carvedilol improved the arrthythmia profile and significantly decreased the number of premature ventricular contr actions. Further studies are needed to extend the potential clinical u sefulness of carvedilol in the treatment of the sinister ventricular a rrhythmias that complicate so many common cardiovascular disease syndr omes.