[Experience with intravenous amiodarone in hyperkinetic supraventricular arrhythmias]

Abstract

The Authors tested the effectiveness of amiodarone hydrochloride i.v. in 50 cases of supraventricular hyperkinetic arrhythmias recently aroused. 50 patients, aged 41 to 85 years, with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT, 21 cases), atrial flutter (7 cases) or fibrillation (22 cases) were treated with 4 mg/Kg of body weight of amiodarone i.v. over 2 min., followed by other 1500 mg/24 hours over 48 hours while amiodarone per os was started for antiarrhythmic prophylaxis; a 12 leads surface ECG and blood pressure were periodically recorded. The sinus rhythm was restored within 3 hours in every case of PSVT (100% of success), within 30 hours in 19 cases of atrial fibrillation (86% of success) and in 5 cases of atrial flutter (71% of success). A slowing down of ventricular frequency ranging from 15 to 40% occurred within 10 min. in case of failure of restoration of sinus rhythm; a slight and transient lengthening of P-R occurred in 1 case; no particular side effects nor noteworthy changes of blood pressure were observed. Amiodarone i.v. proved to be a very effective remedy, handy and well tolerated for the arrhythmias considered above.