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INTRAVENOUS AMIODARONE EFFECTIVE AS EMERGENCY THERAPY.

Oral amiodarone has recently emerged as an important therapy for malignant ventricular arrhythmias, but maximal effects are reached only after 8 to 28 days of treatment. These investigators report, however, that intravenous amiodarone is effective for patients with refractory sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation.

Forty-six patients received amiodarone through central lines in a loading dose of 5 mg/kg of body weight over a 30- minute period, followed by a continuous infusion of 1 gm/day for three days. Fifteen patients had resolution of arrhythmia within two hours, and another 11 patients responded within 72 hours. Seven patients responded to either intravenous or oral amiodarone later in the course of hospitalization. Thirteen percent of the patients had major side effects, and the overall two-year mortality was high (46 percent). Nevertheless, these data indicate that amiodarone may provide short-term relief for some patients with ventricular arrhythmias.

— THL

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine October 7, 1988

Citation(s):

Helmy I; Herre J M; Gee G et al. Use of intravenous amiodarone for emergency treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. J Am Coll Cardiol 1988 Oct 12 1015-1022.

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