Authors: Giuseppe Boriani Mauro Biffi Letizia Bacchi Cristian Martignani Romano Zannoli Ghazwan S Butrous Angelo Branzi
Publish Date: 2002/05/04
Volume: 58, Issue: 3, Pages: 165-169
Abstract
Methods Twelve patients with ischaemic heart disease and sustained ventricular tachycardia were treated with dofetilide 500 µg twice daily bid or sotalol 160 mg bid randomised sequence separated by washout period for 3–5 days Rightheart catheterisation was performed at baseline and at the end of each shortterm treatment phaseResults The main findings were a significant reduction in heart rate mean systemic pressure and cardiac index –13 during treatment with sotalol Conversely cardiac index increased significantly during dofetilide mean percentage change 11 with no effect on heart rate and systemic blood pressureConclusions Oral dofetilide exerts favourable haemodynamic effects in comparison with DLsotalol following shortterm oral treatment In view of these observations the use of dofetilide may be proposed also in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias associated with impaired leftventricular function Whether the haemodynamic differences between dofetilide and DLsotalol are the basis for differences in tolerability remains to be evaluated
Keywords: