Clinical suppression of refractory ventricular tachycardia with oral bretylium not predicted by electrophysiologic drug testing.

Abstract

We report the findings in a patient in whom intravenous bretylium was the only effective agent to suppress refractory ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. After attempts to switch the patient to amiodarone and bethanidine (an oral analogue of bretylium) caused proarrhythmic effects, he was successfully converted to oral therapy with bretylium. Electrophysiologic testing was not predictive of the clinical response from oral bretylium. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a proarrhythmic effect from bethanadine and it suggests a divergence in the actions of various class 3 antiarrhythmic agents.

• Authors: B P Grubb, J C Luck, M Bacaner
• Journal: Chest (Chest) Vol. 94 Issue 2 Pg. 430-2 (Aug 1988) ISSN: 0012-3692 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3396427 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Bretylium Compounds
• bretylium

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Bretylium Compounds (administration & dosage)
• Electrocardiography
• Electrophysiology
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neural Conduction (drug effects)
• Refractory Period, Electrophysiological (drug effects)
• Tachycardia (drug therapy, physiopathology)