Biomaterial Database

Treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias by a combination of antiarrhythmic drugs and right ventricular pacing. 1984

H Ector, and H Van Brabandt, and H De Geest

Thirteen patients with intractable ventricular arrhythmias were studied; they underwent long-term treatment by a combination of antiarrhythmic drugs and ventricular pacing. Eleven patients had a history of tachycardia and two had torsade de pointes; eleven of thirteen had had cardioversion and/or defibrillation. Prior to permanent pacemaker implantation, temporary pacing in the VVI mode was used in combination with one or more of the following drugs: amiodarone, aprindine, digitalis, metoprolol, mexiletine, procainamide, pindolol, propranolol, or quinidine. Various pacing rates were tried; when permanent pacing was instituted, a unipolar system which was at least rate-programmable was used. Right ventricular VVI pacing, combined with drug therapy, was successful in ten of thirteen patients. Five of the ten patients are alive and free of arrhythmias after 78, 72, 72, 54, and 11 months, respectively. Although five patients died (after 60, 48, 30, 24, and 9 months, respectively), none of the deaths were related to arrhythmias. We suggest that in patients with ventricular arrhythmias refractory to conventional treatment, a therapeutic trial of right ventricular VVI pacing in combination with a drug regimen be used.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008134	Long-Term Care	Care over an extended period, usually for a chronic condition or disability, requiring periodic, intermittent, or continuous care.	Care, Long-Term,Long Term Care
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010138	Pacemaker, Artificial	A device designed to stimulate, by electric impulses, contraction of the heart muscles. It may be temporary (external) or permanent (internal or internal-external).	Cardiac Pacemaker, Artificial,Artificial Cardiac Pacemaker,Artificial Cardiac Pacemakers,Artificial Pacemaker,Artificial Pacemakers,Cardiac Pacemakers, Artificial,Pacemaker, Artificial Cardiac,Pacemakers, Artificial,Pacemakers, Artificial Cardiac
D003131	Combined Modality Therapy	The treatment of a disease or condition by several different means simultaneously or sequentially. Chemoimmunotherapy, RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY, chemoradiotherapy, cryochemotherapy, and SALVAGE THERAPY are seen most frequently, but their combinations with each other and surgery are also used.	Multimodal Treatment,Therapy, Combined Modality,Combined Modality Therapies,Modality Therapies, Combined,Modality Therapy, Combined,Multimodal Treatments,Therapies, Combined Modality,Treatment, Multimodal,Treatments, Multimodal
D004359	Drug Therapy, Combination	Therapy with two or more separate preparations given for a combined effect.	Combination Chemotherapy,Polychemotherapy,Chemotherapy, Combination,Combination Drug Therapy,Drug Polytherapy,Therapy, Combination Drug,Chemotherapies, Combination,Combination Chemotherapies,Combination Drug Therapies,Drug Polytherapies,Drug Therapies, Combination,Polychemotherapies,Polytherapies, Drug,Polytherapy, Drug,Therapies, Combination Drug
D004554	Electric Countershock	An electrical current applied to the HEART to terminate a CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA.	Cardiac Electroversion,Cardioversion,Defibrillation, Electric,Electroversion, Cardiac,Electrical Cardioversion,Electroversion Therapy,Therapy, Electroversion,Cardiac Electroversions,Cardioversion, Electrical,Cardioversions,Cardioversions, Electrical,Countershock, Electric,Countershocks, Electric,Defibrillations, Electric,Electric Countershocks,Electric Defibrillation,Electric Defibrillations,Electrical Cardioversions,Electroversion Therapies,Electroversions, Cardiac,Therapies, Electroversion
D005260	Female		Females
D006339	Heart Rate	The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute.	Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D006352	Heart Ventricles	The lower right and left chambers of the heart. The right ventricle pumps venous BLOOD into the LUNGS and the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood into the systemic arterial circulation.	Cardiac Ventricle,Cardiac Ventricles,Heart Ventricle,Left Ventricle,Right Ventricle,Left Ventricles,Right Ventricles,Ventricle, Cardiac,Ventricle, Heart,Ventricle, Left,Ventricle, Right,Ventricles, Cardiac,Ventricles, Heart,Ventricles, Left,Ventricles, Right