Clinical significance of vanghan williams classification for treatment of ventricular tachycardia. Study of class IA and IB antiarrhythmic agents.

Abstract

Ninety-eight cases of ventricular tachycardia (VT) were studied using clinical electrophysiological (EP)-pharmacological assessment to compare the efficacy of class IA (disopyramide-DP, procainamide-PA) and class IB (mexiletine-Mex, Lidocaine-Lid, aprindine-AP) agents available in Japan, and to evaluate the clinical significance of class subdivisions for the treatment of VT. In assessing the efficacy of drugs, we evaluated their ability to prevent and terminate induced sustained VT as well as their ability to suppress spontaneous premature ventricular beats (VPB). I. EP properties: DP significantly extended QTc, ERPRV, and the coupling interval by which VT or repetitive ventricular response (RVR) was induced. On the other hand, Mex and AP had no effect. Although no significant extension of QRS width was found, the significant extension of the interval from extrastimulus to the first induced VT or RVR complex by the three drugs indicates that all have suppressive effects on conduction velocity within the reentry circuit. II. Correspondence of preventive effects was 67% for DP and PA (class IA), 54% for Mex and Lid (class IB), 55% for DP and Mex, 27% for AP and Mex, and 25% for AP and DP. Correspondence of terminating effect was 85% for DP and PA, 80% for DP and AP, 77% for DP and Mex, 75% for Mex and Lid, and 63% for Mex and AP. For suppression of spontaneous VPB's, correspondence rate was 100% for DP and PA, 39% for DP and Mex, 64% for Mex and Lid, 61% for Mex and AP, and 69% for DP and AP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)