Abstract
Objective. To assess the haemodynamic effects of short-term treatment with dofetilide in comparison with sotalol in patients with ischaemic heart disease.
Methods. Twelve patients with ischaemic heart disease and sustained ventricular tachycardia were treated with dofetilide [500 µg twice daily (b.i.d.)] or sotalol (160 mg b.i.d., randomised sequence separated by wash-out period) for 3–5 days. Right-heart catheterisation was performed at baseline and at the end of each short-term treatment phase.
Results. 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 pressure.
Conclusions. Oral dofetilide exerts favourable haemodynamic effects in comparison with D,L-sotalol following short-term oral treatment. In view of these observations, the use of dofetilide may be proposed also in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias associated with impaired left-ventricular function. Whether the haemodynamic differences between dofetilide and D,L-sotalol are the basis for differences in tolerability remains to be evaluated.
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Accepted in revised form: 15 March 2002
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Boriani, G., Biffi, M., Bacchi, L. et al. A randomised cross-over study on the haemodynamic effects of oral dofetilide compared with oral sotalol in patients with ischaemic heart disease and sustained ventricular tachycardia. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 58, 165–169 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-002-0464-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-002-0464-3