New directions in antiarrhythmic drug therapy: The development of a promising new agent, lorcainide: Introduction

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death has been a major problem area in cardiology. With advancements in pharmacologic therapy and techniqules for therapy assessment, this area has become a focus of clinical interest and investigation. Recent advances in cardiovascular antiarrhythmic pharmacology have been rapid. The advent of new techniques such as programmed electrical stimulation to determine the need for antiarrhythmic therapy and the effica’cy of an agent in preventing arrhythmia induction has increased the demand for effective antiarrhythmic agents. With pharmacologic advances and the development of invasive and noninvasive therapy assessment techniques, controversies have developed. This symposium, originslly presented immediately preceding the annual meeting of the American Heart Association, was intended to discuss techniques of ant&rhythmic therapy assessment and the development of a new and promising antiarrhytbmic agent, lorcainide. Lorcainide appears to be an exciting new drug in cardiovascular pharmacology. From this agent’s pharmacodynamic efficacy to its favorable pharmacokinet&, interesting studies have developed that support