0
September 9, 1983, Vol 250, No. 10 >
ARTICLE | September 9, 1983

Amiodarone in the Treatment of Refractory Ventricular Arrhythmias: Title and subTitle BreakImportance and Safety of Initial High-Dose Therapy FREE

Louis Rakita, MD; Samuel M. Sobol, MD
[+] Author Affiliations

The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.

Reprint requests to Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, 3395 Scranton Rd, Cleveland, OH 44109 (Dr Rakita).


JAMA. 1983;250(10):1293-1295. doi:10.1001/jama.1983.03340100027023
Text Size: A A A
Published online
Article
References

Large initial doses of amiodarone hydrochloride for the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias refractory to conventional therapy were demonstrated to shorten the time to achieve control of the arrhythmia. As compared with a lower-dose regimen, the mean time to achieve partial control (suppression of ventricular tachycardia) was 10.6 ±5.2 days in the highest-dose group (group C), 9.5 ± 6.4 days in the medium-dose group (group B), and 16.9 ±9.1 days in the lowest-dose group (group A). Complete control (suppression of virtually all ventricular ectopy) was similarly earlier in groups B and C (16.1± 7.5 days and 16.0±11.3 days, respectively) as compared with group A (31.0± 10.1 days). The final mean dose for long-term treatment was independent of the initial dose schedule (551 ±245 mg/day; range, 200 to 1,200 mg/day). The large doses were shown to be well tolerated and without serious side effects.

(JAMA 1983;250:1293-1295)

REFERENCES

1 +
Gillot P:  Huit ans d'expérience clinique du traitement de l'angine de poitrine par l'amiodarone . Brux Med 1970;;50:657-663.
2 +
Rosenbaum MB, Chiace PA, Halpern MS, et al:  Clinical efficacy of amiodarone as an antiarrhythmic agent . Am J Cardiol 1976;;38:934-944.
3 +
Fidelle JE, Attuel P, Toumieux MC, et al:  L'utilisation de l'amiodarone dans les troubles rythmiques graves et rebelles de l'enfant . Ann Cardiol Angeiol 1976;;25:385-391.
4 +
Leak D, Eydt JN:  Control of refractory cardiac arrhythmias with amiodarone . Arch Intern Med 1979;;139:425-428.
5 +
Rakita L, McGee J, Sobol S, et al:  Clinical trial of amiodarone hydrochloride for the treatment of refractory arrhythmias . Am J Cardiol 1979;;43:358.
6 +
Heger JJ, Prystowsky EN, Jackman WM, et al:  Amiodarone: Clinical efficacy and electrophysiology during long-term therapy for recurrent ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation . N Engl J Med 1981;;305:539-545.
7 +
Marcus FI, Fontaine GH, Frank R, et al:  Clinical pharmacology and therapeutic applications of the antiarrhythmic agent, amiodarone . Am Heart J 1981;;101:480-493.
8 +
Podrid PJ, Lown B:  Amiodarone therapy in symptomatic sustained refractory atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias . Am Heart J 1981;; 101:374-379.
9 +
Kaski JC, Giorottei LA, Messuti H, et al:  Long-term management of sustained, recurrent, symptomatic ventricular tachycardia with amiodarone . Circulation 1981;;64:273-279.
10 +
Broekhuysen J, Laurel R, Sion R:  Recherches dans la série des benzofurannes: XXXVII. Etude comparée du transit et du métabolisme de l'amiodarone chez diverses espèces animales et chez l'homme . Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 1969;;177:340-359.
11 +
Kannan R, Nademanee K, Hendrickson JA, et al:  Plasma levels of amiodarone and its elimination half-life following acute and chronic dosing in patients with ventricular arrhythmias . Circulation 1981;;64( (suppl IV) ):IV-264.
12 +
Derrida J-P, Chiche P:  Pharmacocinetique des principaux antiarrhythmiques . Coeur Med Interne 1978;;17:79-88.
13 +
Haffajee C, Lesko L, Canada A, et al:  Clinical pharmacokinetics of amiodarone . Circulation 1981;;64( (suppl IV) ):IV-263.
14 +
Hoogenhuyze DV, Burg PVD, Wilde AD, et al:  Acute effects of intravenous amiodarone in patients with complex ventricular dysrhythmias . Am J Cardiol 1982;;49:1001.

Figures

Tables

Interactive Graphics

Video

Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Gillot P:  Huit ans d'expérience clinique du traitement de l'angine de poitrine par l'amiodarone . Brux Med 1970;;50:657-663.
2 +
Rosenbaum MB, Chiace PA, Halpern MS, et al:  Clinical efficacy of amiodarone as an antiarrhythmic agent . Am J Cardiol 1976;;38:934-944.
3 +
Fidelle JE, Attuel P, Toumieux MC, et al:  L'utilisation de l'amiodarone dans les troubles rythmiques graves et rebelles de l'enfant . Ann Cardiol Angeiol 1976;;25:385-391.
4 +
Leak D, Eydt JN:  Control of refractory cardiac arrhythmias with amiodarone . Arch Intern Med 1979;;139:425-428.
5 +
Rakita L, McGee J, Sobol S, et al:  Clinical trial of amiodarone hydrochloride for the treatment of refractory arrhythmias . Am J Cardiol 1979;;43:358.
6 +
Heger JJ, Prystowsky EN, Jackman WM, et al:  Amiodarone: Clinical efficacy and electrophysiology during long-term therapy for recurrent ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation . N Engl J Med 1981;;305:539-545.
7 +
Marcus FI, Fontaine GH, Frank R, et al:  Clinical pharmacology and therapeutic applications of the antiarrhythmic agent, amiodarone . Am Heart J 1981;;101:480-493.
8 +
Podrid PJ, Lown B:  Amiodarone therapy in symptomatic sustained refractory atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias . Am Heart J 1981;; 101:374-379.
9 +
Kaski JC, Giorottei LA, Messuti H, et al:  Long-term management of sustained, recurrent, symptomatic ventricular tachycardia with amiodarone . Circulation 1981;;64:273-279.
10 +
Broekhuysen J, Laurel R, Sion R:  Recherches dans la série des benzofurannes: XXXVII. Etude comparée du transit et du métabolisme de l'amiodarone chez diverses espèces animales et chez l'homme . Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 1969;;177:340-359.
11 +
Kannan R, Nademanee K, Hendrickson JA, et al:  Plasma levels of amiodarone and its elimination half-life following acute and chronic dosing in patients with ventricular arrhythmias . Circulation 1981;;64( (suppl IV) ):IV-264.
12 +
Derrida J-P, Chiche P:  Pharmacocinetique des principaux antiarrhythmiques . Coeur Med Interne 1978;;17:79-88.
13 +
Haffajee C, Lesko L, Canada A, et al:  Clinical pharmacokinetics of amiodarone . Circulation 1981;;64( (suppl IV) ):IV-263.
14 +
Hoogenhuyze DV, Burg PVD, Wilde AD, et al:  Acute effects of intravenous amiodarone in patients with complex ventricular dysrhythmias . Am J Cardiol 1982;;49:1001.

Letters

Submit a Letter
CME Course for:


You need to register in order to view this quiz.


To understand the clinical management of acute heart failure syndromes.
Accreditation Information The American Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The AMA designates this journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM per course. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Physicians who complete the CME course and score at least 80% correct on the quiz are eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM.
Note: You must get at least of the answers correct to pass this quiz.
Note: You must get at least of the answers correct to pass this quiz.
You have not filled in all the answers to complete this quiz
The following questions were not answered:
Sorry, you have unsuccessfully completed this CME quiz with a score of
The following questions were not answered correctly:
For CME Course: A Proposed Model for Initial Assessment and Management of Acute Heart Failure Syndromes
Indicate what changes(s) you will implement in your practice, if any, based on this CME course.
To view and print your certificate and access a summary of your CME courses go to My CME.
NOTE:
Citing articles are presented as examples only. In non-demo SCM6 implementation, integration with CrossRef’s “Cited By” API will populate this tab (http://www.crossref.org/citedby.html).
Compression-Only CPR: Pushing the Science Forward
Cone
AAM 2010;304:1493-1495.
All you need to read in the other general journals
BMJ 2010;341:c5893-c1494.
Submit a Comment

Some tools below are only available to our subscribers or users with an online account.

Related Content

Customize your page view by dragging & repositioning the boxes below.

© 2012 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
Powered bySilverchair Information Systems