Document Detail


Effect of flecainide on atrial and ventricular refractoriness and conduction in patients with normal left ventricle. Implications for possible antiarrhythmic and proarrhythmic mechanisms.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  8682029     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
We studied the effects of intravenous flecainide (2 mg.kg-1) on atrial and ventricular refractoriness and conduction during sinus rhythm, induced atrial fibrillation and atrial pacing at rates of 100, 120 and 150 ppm, in 14 patients with normal left ventricle. Flecainide caused a significant increase in QRS duration during sinus rhythm (mean +/- SD: 87.2 +/- 8.4 ms vs 102.8 +/- 9.1 ms, P < 0.001), atrial fibrillation (87.8 +/- 10.0 ms vs 108.8 +/- 13.7 ms, P < 0.001) and at all paced rates. The duration of the atrial electrogram was significantly increased during sinus rhythm (54.9 +/- 13.2 ms vs 64.8 +/- 16.6 ms, P = 0.003) and at all pacing rates. The PA interval was also significantly prolonged, as was the pacing stimulus-to-atrial-electrogram interval at all pacing rates. There was increased QRS duration and atrial electrogram prolongation at higher pacing rates. Atrial refractoriness was prolonged during sinus rhythm (216.4 +/- 28.2 vs 228.6 +/- 36.1, P = 0.02), but not during atrial pacing at any rate. The QT interval, but not the JT interval or ventricular refractoriness, was significantly prolonged during sinus rhythm and at all pacing rates. Flecainide slows atrial conduction in a use dependent manner and increases atrial refractoriness during sinus rhythm but not during faster atrial pacing, thus not displaying a use-dependent effect. QRS duration is prolonged in a use-dependent manner without a commensurate increase in ventricular refractoriness. In the presence of rapidly conducted atrial fibrillation, which was not found to be slowed by flecainide, this effect may constitute a proarrhythmic mechanism even in patients with no apparent myocardial abnormality.
Authors:
D Katritsis; E Rowland; S O'Nunain; C F Shakespeare; J Poloniecki; A J Camm
Related Documents :
7634459 - The risk of atrial fibrillation following radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fl...
15772779 - Left atrial functions after myocardial infarction.
2643399 - Surgical techniques for the implantation of heterotopic prosthetic ventricles.
7151079 - Tiapamil in the management of supraventricular arrhythmias occurring after acute myocar...
8228539 - Response of automatic atrial tachycardia to intravenous adenosine.
18566699 - Recovery of atrial transport function after a maze procedure for atrial fibrillation in...
18391729 - Myocardial scar and insulin resistance predict cardiovascular events in severe ischaemi...
8022049 - Comparison of the effects of dobutamine and isoproterenol in ischemic hearts by phospho...
3889109 - Role of platelets and thrombosis in coronary atherosclerotic disease and sudden death.
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  European heart journal     Volume:  16     ISSN:  0195-668X     ISO Abbreviation:  Eur. Heart J.     Publication Date:  1995 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1996-08-16     Completed Date:  1996-08-16     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8006263     Medline TA:  Eur Heart J     Country:  ENGLAND    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1930-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiological Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, U.K.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / adverse effects,  therapeutic use*
Atrial Fibrillation / chemically induced,  drug therapy
Atrial Flutter / chemically induced,  drug therapy
Cardiac Pacing, Artificial
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Electrocardiography / drug effects*
Female
Flecainide / adverse effects,  therapeutic use*
Heart Atria / drug effects*,  physiopathology
Heart Ventricles / drug effects*,  physiopathology
Humans
Infusions, Intravenous
Male
Middle Aged
Risk Factors
Tachycardia, Supraventricular / chemically induced,  drug therapy*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; 54143-55-4/Flecainide

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Cardiac outflow of endothelin, neuropeptide Y and noradrenaline in relation to hyperaemia in coronar...
Next Document:  Spectral turbulence analysis of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram for predicting inducible susta...