Twenty-nine patients with various tachyarrhythmias were treated with intravenous aprindine, a new antiarrhythmic drug. Three patients also exhibited Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Aprindine was significantly effective on ventricular premature beats (7/10) and paroxismal supraventricular tachycardia (5/6), but not effective on ventricular tachy cardia (1/4), atrial fibrillation (0/7), and atrial flutter (0/2). In all patients with WolffParkfnson-White syndrome, delta waves disappeared with aprindine injection. Electrophysiological study revealed that aprindine lengthened the conduction time significantly, but no significant prolongation of the effective refractory period was observed. The average half-life of elimination for 2 mg/kg intravenous aprindine was about 17. 5 hrs and was much longer in the patients with liver dysfunction. No severeside effects were observed.
In conclusion, intravenous aprindine showed efficacy on ventricular premature beats and paroxysmal supraventiruclar tachycardia, and proved safe for use under the conditions tested.
