COMPARATIVE RESULTS OF THE USE OF PROPAFE NONE AND QUINIDINE IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH PAROXYSMAL VENTRICULAR-TACHYCARDIA

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of a short term course treatments wi th propafenone and quinidine were compared in 34 patients (22 men, 12 women, mean age 48+/-11 years) with ECG confirmed attacks of ventricul ar tachycardia and various cardiovascular pathology. Propafenone and q uinidine were used orally in 27 and 28 patients, respectively. Holter ECG monitoring and intracardiac electrophysiological study were used f or control of therapy. Propafenone and quinidine caused pronounced sid e effects in 11% and 18% of patients, respectively. According to resul ts of both methods of control propafenone produced antiarrhythmic effe ct in 48%, quinidine - in 39% of patients. Proarrhythmic effects at th e stage of drug testing were registered in 16% and 4,4% of patients du ring tests with propafenone and quinidine respectively. Propafenone wa s not effective in all 6 while quinidine was effective in 5 out of 10 patients (50%) with ventricular tachycardia and previous myocardial in farction. Arrhythmogenic effects were observed in 3 of 6 (50%) and in 1 of 10 (10%) propafenone and quinidine treated patients, respectively Patients in whom antiarrhythmic effect was achieved during short term inhospital therapy continued to take the drug as outpatients. During long-term (up to 39 months) treatment there were no cases of sudden ca rdiac death. Recurrences of attacks of tachycardia occurred in 4 (44%) of 9 patients receiving propafenone and in 1 (11%) of 9 patients rece iving quinidine.