Changes in spontaneous sinus node rate as an estimate of cardiac autonomic tone during stable and unstable ventricular tachycardia

Vasovagal Responses to Human Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia: Hemodynamic Implications From Sinus Rate Analysis

BACKGROUND

Factors determining hemodynamic stability during human ventricular tachycardia (VT) are incompletely understood.

OBJECTIVES

The purposes of this study were to characterize sinus rate (SR) responses during monomorphic VT in association with hemodynamic stability and to prospectively assess the effects of vagolytic therapy on VT tolerance.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing scar-related VT ablation. Vasovagal responses were evaluated by analyzing sinus cycle length before VT induction and during VT. SR responses were classified into 3 groups: increasing (≥5 beats/min, sympathetic), decreasing (≥5 beats/min, vagal), and unchanged, with the latter 2 categorized as inappropriate SR. In a prospective cohort (n = 30) that exhibited a failure to increase SR, atropine was administered to improve hemodynamic tolerance to VT.

RESULTS

In 150 patients, 261 VT episodes were analyzed (29% untolerated, 71% tolerated) with median VT duration 1.6 minutes. A total of 52% of VT episodes were associated with a sympathetic response, 31% had unchanged SR, and 17% of VTs exhibited a vagal response. A significantly higher prevalence of inappropriate SR responses was observed during untolerated VT (sustained VT requiring cardioversion within 150 seconds) compared with tolerated VT (84% vs 34%; P < 0.001). Untolerated VT was significantly different between groups: 9% (sympathetic), 82% (vagal), and 32% (unchanged) (P < 0.001). Atropine administration improved hemodynamic tolerance to VT in 70%.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly one-half of VT episodes are associated with failure to augment SR, indicative of an under-recognized pathophysiological vasovagal response to VT. Inappropriate SR responses were more predictive of hemodynamic instability than VT rate and ejection fraction. Vagolytic therapy may be a novel method to augment blood pressure during VT.

Mechanisms of sinus node cycle length changes during ventricular fibrillation

OBJECTIVE

We have previously shown that up to one-third of patients develop no change or an increase in sinus node cycle length (SNCL) during ventricular fibrillation (VF). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of SNCL changes during VF in a swine model. We hypothesized that changes in SNCL during VF are vagally-mediated.

METHODS

In 33 anesthetized pigs DC current was used to induce VF for 10 s followed by defibrillation. SNCL changes were assessed during VF and compared to baseline. Animals that had ventriculo-atrial conduction during VF were excluded. Post-defibrillation, the pigs were randomized to receive atropine, propranolol, atropine + propranolol or placebo followed by repeat VF induction and measurement of SNCL changes.

RESULTS

Ventriculo-atrial conduction was present in 14 pigs prohibiting SNCL measurements. In the remaining 19 animals, 10 demonstrated SNCL shortening (S-Group) and 9 demonstrated non-shortening (NS-Group). Atropine decreased the absolute change in SNCL from 51.2 to 26.6 ms (n = 6; p = 0.03). It attenuated the SNCL shortening previously observed in the S-Group (-99.2 ms versus -47.9 ms, p = 0.04) and reversed the SNCL prolongation initially observed in the NS-Group (27.1 ms versus -6.5 ms, p = 0.13). Similarly, atropine + propranolol decreased the absolute change in SNCL from 33.3 to 12.2 ms (n = 4; p = 0.05). No significant changes were noted with propranolol or placebo.

INTERPRETATION

The SNCL changes during VF appear to be vagally-mediated. The clinical implications vis-à-vis defibrillation threshold and future device programming await future studies.

Essentials of low-power electrocution: established and speculated mechanisms

Even though electrocution has been recognized--and studied--for over a century, there remain several common misconceptions among medical professional as well as lay persons. This review focuses on "low-power" electrocutions rather than on the "high-power" electrocutions such as from lightning and power lines. Low-power electrocution induces ventricular fibrillation (VF). We review the 3 established mechanisms for electrocution: (1) shock on cardiac T-wave, (2) direct induction of VF, and (3) long-term high-rate cardiac capture reducing the VF threshold until VF is induced. There are several electrocution myths addressed, including the concept--often taught in medical school--that direct current causes asystole instead of VF and that electrical exposure can lead to a delayed cardiac arrest by inducing a subclinical ventricular tachycardia (VT). Other misunderstandings are also discussed.

Modulation of the sinus rate during ventricular fibrillation

BACKGROUND

During supraventricular and ventricular tachycardia, the arterial baroreflex predominates with minimal contribution from the cardiopulmonary reflex. To our knowledge, the role of the arterial baroreflex gain (BRG) during and immediately following termination of ventricular fibrillation (VF) has not been characterized.

OBJECTIVE

We hypothesized that (1) arterial BRG correlated with sinus node cycle length (SNCL) changes during VF, and that (2) the greater the arterial BRG, the greater the blood pressure (BP) recovery following successful defibrillation.

METHODS

Arterial BRG was assessed in 18 patients referred for the implantation of a defibrillator incorporating an atrial lead. The average SNCL was measured during the 5 seconds prior to VF induction and the last 5 seconds during VF before defibrillation. Percent SNCL change (%DeltaSNCL) was determined. Arterial BP recovery was calculated as the difference in mean BP following defibrillation compared to during VF.

RESULTS

Arterial BRG ranged between -3 and 18 ms/mmHg. During VF, SNCL shortened in 11 patients (group A, mean %DeltaSNCL =-15%), and surprisingly lengthened in seven patients (group B, mean %DeltaSNCL = 5%). There was no correlation between %DeltaSNCL and arterial BRG. In fact, arterial BRG in group A was lower when compared with group B (P = 0.075). Similarly, there was no correlation between arterial BRG and BP recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no correlation between arterial BRG and %DeltaSNCL during VF, or BP recovery following defibrillation. Our findings of SNCL lengthening in 7 of 18 patients suggest that in some patients, arterial BRG plays a minor role during VF with a greater contribution from the cardiopulmonary BRG.

Heart rate variability biofeedback increases baroreflex gain and peak expiratory flow

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated heart rate variability biofeedback as a method for increasing vagal baroreflex gain and improving pulmonary function among 54 healthy adults.

METHODS

We compared 10 sessions of biofeedback training with an uninstructed control. Cognitive and physiological effects were measured in four of the sessions.

RESULTS

We found acute increases in low-frequency and total spectrum heart rate variability, and in vagal baroreflex gain, correlated with slow breathing during biofeedback periods. Increased baseline baroreflex gain also occurred across sessions in the biofeedback group, independent of respiratory changes, and peak expiratory flow increased in this group, independently of cardiovascular changes. Biofeedback was accompanied by fewer adverse relaxation side effects than the control condition.

CONCLUSIONS

Heart rate variability biofeedback had strong long-term influences on resting baroreflex gain and pulmonary function. It should be examined as a method for treating cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Also, this study demonstrates neuroplasticity of the baroreflex.

Changes in autonomic nervous activity after catheter ablation of right ventricular outflow tract tachycardia

Idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) tachycardia is prone to occur when sympathetic nervous activity increases. The effects of catheter ablation on the arrhythmia may be modified by changes in the sympathovagal balance induced by the ablation. In 8 patients with RVOT tachycardia, analyses of heart rate variability (HRV) were performed before, early (1-3 days, POST1) and late (7-14 days, POST2) after the ablation. From 24-h ambulatory Holter monitoring, RR intervals of a 2-h period during sleep (00.00-06.00 h) were analyzed. MSSD and pNN50 were increased along with a decrease in the frequency of ventricular arrhythmias at both POST1 and POST2 after successful ablation. In contrast, high frequency power (HF) was increased, and low frequency power (LF) and LF/HF were decreased only at POST2 in the 8 patients. In 4 patients in whom the initial ablation had been unsuccessful, the indices of HRV did not change significantly after the unsuccessful ablation, but after successful ablation they changed as in the other 4 patients. After successful catheter ablation of the RVOT tachycardia, sympathetic nervous activity was decreased and parasympathetic nervous activity was increased along with decrease in the frequency of ventricular arrhythmias. The presence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia could, therefore, elicit sympathetic predominance and consequently modify arrhythmogenesis.

Autonomic mechanisms and sudden death after abrupt coronary occlusion

In spite of recent advances in secondary prevention, sudden cardiac death has remained a major public health problem as the majority of fatalities occur in subjects without a history of severe heart disease. Abrupt rupture of a vulnerable plaque resulting in thrombotic occlusion of a coronary artery is a common cause of sudden death in this population. Coronary occlusion does not, however, invariably lead to sudden death but may cause acute myocardial infarction or exacerbation of chest pain. Extensive studies in experimental animals and increasing clinical evidence indicate that autonomic nervous activity has a significant role in modifying the clinical outcome. Sympathetic hyperactivity favours the genesis of life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias while vagal activation exerts an antifibrillatory effect. Strong afferent stimuli from the ischaemic myocardium impair arterial baroreflex and may lead to dangerous haemodynamic instability. Studies with a human angioplasty model have shown that there is wide interindividual variation in the type and severity of autonomic reactions during the early phase of abrupt coronary occlusion, a critical period for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The site of the occlusion is not a significant determinant of the reactions, whereas the severity of a coronary stenosis, adaptation or ischaemic preconditioning, beta-blockade and gender seem to affect the autonomic reactions and occurrence of complex ventricular arrhythmias. Clinical and angiographic factors are, however, poor predictors of autonomic reactions in an individual patient. Recent studies have documented a hereditary component for autonomic function, and genetic factors may also modify the clinical manifestations of acute coronary occlusion.

Gender difference in autonomic and hemodynamic reactions to abrupt coronary occlusion

OBJECTIVES

We sought to determine whether there are gender-related differences in autonomic and hemodynamic responses to abrupt coronary occlusion.

BACKGROUND

The risk of sudden death before hospital admission is higher in men with an acute myocardial infarction. The reasons for this gender-related difference are not well understood. Cardiovascular autonomic regulation modifies the outcome of acute coronary events, and there are gender differences in the autonomic regulation of heart rate (HR) in normal physiologic circumstances.

METHODS

We analyzed the changes in HR, HR variability and blood pressure and the occurrence of ventricular ectopic beats during a 2-min coronary occlusion in 140 men and 65 women referred for single-vessel coronary angioplasty. The ranges of nonspecific responses were determined by analyzing a control group of 19 patients with no ischemia during a 2-min balloon inflation in a totally occluded coronary artery.

RESULTS

Women more often had ST segment changes (p < 0.01) and chest pain (p < 0.05) during the occlusion. Significant bradycardia or increase in HR variability as a sign of vagal activation occurred more often in women than in men (31% vs. 13%, p < 0.01 and 25% vs. 11%, p < 0.05, respectively). Coronary occlusion also more often caused (28% vs. 11%, p < 0.01) a decrease in blood pressure in women. The most pronounced female preponderance was in the incidence of Bezold-Jarisch-type reaction (i.e., simultaneous bradycardia and decrease in blood pressure [16% vs. 0.7%, p < 0.0001]). Logistic regression models developed to analyze the significance of gender while controlling for baseline variables and signs of ischemia identified female gender to be an independent predictor of bradycardic reactions (odds ratio [OR] 3.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4 to 7.7, p < 0.01), hypotensive reactions (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.0, p < 0.05) and Bezold-Jarisch-type response (OR 22.2, 95% CI 2.5 to 200, p < 0.01). Significance of female gender as a protector against early coronary occlusion-induced ventricular ectopic beats emerged as having borderline significance (OR 0.4, CI 0.1 to 1.1, p = 0.07).

CONCLUSIONS

Vagal activation is more common in women than in men during abrupt coronary occlusion and may have beneficial antiarrhythmic effects, modifying the outcome of acute coronary events.

Frequency of sudden cardiac death and profiles of risk

The epidemiology of ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) must be explored from multiple aspects, each of which contributes insights into the problem and no one of which exerts exclusive dominance for preventive or therapeutic strategies. These include: (1) population dynamics, using conventional epidemiologic approaches; (2) risk as a function of time from an index event; (3) conditioning risk factors, based on the presence of underlying disease states; (4) transient risk factors that are dynamic and trigger a potentially fatal event at a specific point in time; and (5) "response risk," which refers to individual susceptibility (possibly determined genetically) to the adverse effects of longitudinal and/or dynamic risk factors. Major inroads into profiling individual or population risk of SCD will require better understanding of each of these epidemiologic-clinical-physiologic interactions. The disciplines range from epidemiology, through clinical medicine, to membrane channel physiology, genetic determinants, and molecular biology.

Syncope: current diagnosis and treatment

The patient with syncope often poses a formidable diagnostic challenge. A large number of underlying causes must be considered, ranging in severity from benign to life-threatening. A careful, systematic clinical evaluation beginning with a history, physical examination, and ECG will establish the diagnosis in most patients, and the judicious use of specialized testing will confirm or uncover the cause in many of the remaining cases. Further basic and clinical research into the pathogenesis and treatment of neurocardiogenic syncope, the role of HUT testing in neurally mediated syncope, and the optimal use of EPS in patients with cardiac disease will markedly improve our management of these patients in the future.

Isoproterenol tilt-table testing in patients with syncope and structural heart disease

We studied 55 patients with syncope and structural heart disease using both tilt-table testing and electrophysiologic studies. Although sustained ventricular tachycardia was found in 21 of 55 patients (38%), and neuromediated syncope in 18 of 51 patients (35%), only 16% of patients with ventricular tachycardia had a positive tilt-table test.

Effect of beta blockade on heart rate variability during vessel occlusion at the time of coronary angioplasty

Beta blockers modify cardiovascular neural regulation, which may contribute to their protective effect against sudden cardiac death. To evaluate the effects of beta blockade on cardiovascular autonomic reactions caused by acute coronary occlusion in humans, heart rate (HR) variability was analyzed in the time and frequency domains immediately before and during balloon occlusion of a coronary artery in 116 patients randomly assigned to either chronic beta-blocker therapy (beta-blocker group) or no beta blockade (control group) during elective 1-vessel coronary angioplasty. Coronary occlusion (mean 112 seconds) caused a significant increase in both the high- and low-frequency components of HR variability in the control group (n = 58), from 2.7 +/- 1.6 to 3.4 +/- 1.7 (logarithmic units, p < 0.001) and from 4.3 +/- 1.3 to 4.8 +/- 1.5 (p < 0.01), respectively, whereas in the beta-blocker group (n = 58), the high-frequency power did not change during occlusion, but the low-frequency power increased from 3.9 +/- 1.4 to 4.4 +/- 1.4 (p = 0.01). Changes in high- and low-frequency components and HR were related to the change in systolic blood pressure during occlusion in the beta-blocker group (r = 0.53, p < 0.001; r = 0.34, p < 0.05; and r = -0.41, p < 0.01, respectively), but not in the control group (r = -0.17, r = -0.14, and r = 0.24, respectively). Thus, beta blockade attenuates the initial vagal activation associated with acute coronary occlusion and seems to maintain baroreflex-mediated cardiovascular control. The maintained integrity of baroreflex regulation and the alleviation of extreme autonomic reactions during beta blockade may modify the clinical outcome of acute coronary occlusion in a beneficial way.

Implantable defibrillators for high-risk patients with heart failure who are awaiting cardiac transplantation

The objective of this study was to assess the operative risk and efficacy of implantable defibrillators for preventing sudden death in patients with heart failure awaiting transplantation. The average waiting time for elective cardiac transplantation is 6 months to 1 year. Sudden cardiac death is the major source of mortality in outpatients in stable condition awaiting cardiac transplantation. The efficacy of implantable defibrillator therapy in this population is not established. We analyzed the operative risk, time to appropriate shock, and sudden death in 15 patients determined to be at high risk of sudden death who were accepted onto the outpatient cardiac transplant waiting list. Nonfatal postoperative complications occurred in two (13%) subjects with epicardial defibrillating lead systems and in none with transvenous lead systems. Defibrillation energies were 16 +/- 2 J versus 24 +/- 2 J with epicardial and transvenous lead systems, respectively. Sudden death free survival until transplantation was 93%. Most of the patients (60%) had an appropriate shock during a mean follow-up of 11 +/- 12 months. The mean time to an appropriate shock was 3 +/- 3 months. Hospital readmission was required in three (20%) subjects to await transplantation on an urgent basis. However, two of these subjects had received appropriate shocks before readmission. In selected patients at high risk for sudden death while on the outpatient cardiac transplant waiting list, the operative risk is low and adequate defibrillation energies can be obtained to allow implantable defibrillator placement. Most subjects will have an appropriate shock as outpatients before transplantation, and sudden death free survival is excellent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Heart rate variability during repeated arterial occlusion in coronary angioplasty

Acute coronary occlusion may cause severe autonomic reactions that can modify the clinical presentation of acute ischemic events. To evaluate whether adaptation in these autonomic reactions exists during repeated short coronary occlusions, heart rate (HR) and its variability in the time and frequency domains were analyzed in 70 patients with significant (50% to 95%) coronary artery stenosis immediately before and during 2 identical balloon occlusions of the vessel (mean 110 seconds). Reactions were compared with the range of nonspecific changes formed by analyzing a control group (n = 13) with no ischemia during balloon inflation in a totally occluded coronary artery. Thus, neither occlusion caused significant changes in HR or HR variability in 29 patients (41%). Vagal activation, as seen by an abnormal increase in HR variability or bradycardia, or both, was observed in 24 patients (34%). HR reactions in this group (p < 0.05) were significantly attenuated during the second occlusion. An opposite reaction (i.e., abnormal decrease in HR variability or tachycardia, or both) was observed in 17 patients (24%). A nonsignificant tendency for attenuation of the reactions was also seen in this group. Severity of chest pain, frequency of ST-segment shifts, or narrowing of pulse pressure were comparable during the 2 occlusions. Thus, a preceding short vessel occlusion-reperfusion cycle seems to attenuate autonomic HR reactions, especially vagal reactions, during subsequent coronary occlusion. Alleviation of extreme autonomic reactions may modify the clinical outcome of coronary occlusion in a beneficial way.

Pathophysiological aspects of neurocardiogenic syncope: current concepts and new perspectives

Neurocardiogenic syncope is both a common and complex clinical disorder. Although recent research has clarified some of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved, much still remains either unknown or incompletely understood. Further investigation into this condition will not only enhance our knowledge of this and other related disorders, but will shed greater light on the influences of the brain and autonomic system on heart rate and blood pressure regulation and aid in our understanding of the complex interrelationships of neurocardiology.

Hemodynamic recovery, atrial natriuretic peptide, and catecholamines during simulated ventricular tachycardia: effects of ventriculoatrial conduction

Ventriculoatrial (VA) sequence and neurohumoral responses may be important modulators of hemodynamic recovery during VT. We studied the effects of VA conduction on blood pressure recovery, and levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), epinephrine, and norepinephrine during simulated VT. After diagnostic coronary angiography, VT was simulated by rapid right ventricular pacing (150 beats/min, 3 mins) in a consecutive series of patients. Whenever the patients demonstrated VA dissociation during ventricular pacing, they were included in the study. After 10 minutes of recovery, a group of nine patients then underwent an additional VA pacing (150 beats/min, 3 mins, VA delay of 150 msec). Intra-arterial blood pressure was continuously monitored, and plasma ANP and catecholamine levels were measured before, during, and after both pacing protocols. The mean arterial pressures declined rapidly by 26% and 30% after initiation of ventricular and VA pacing, respectively. The blood pressure then gradually recovered, the hemodynamic recovery being better during VA pacing. Plasma ANP and catecholamine levels increased toward the end of both pacing periods. The observed increase in ANP concentration was more prominent during VA pacing than ventricular pacing (P < 0.001), whereas catecholamine levels increased similarly. The results show that during simulated VT hemodynamic recovery is partially dependent on VA sequence. The increases in circulating ANP and catecholamines occur too slowly to account for the rapid changes in blood pressures observed after initiation of simulated VT. Therefore, other mechanisms, such as reflex stimulation of the sympathoadrenergic nervous system, must be involved, too. ANP release increases when atrial contraction frequency increases, but the exact determinants for this release remain unknown.

Neural control mechanisms and vasovagal syncope

Patients with recurrent unexplained syncope may have cardioinhibitory and vasodepressor responses provokable with head-up tilt with or without exogenous beta-adrenergic stimulation. Although these responses are believed to be neurally mediated, the neural mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Numerous studies have documented peripheral vasodilation, hypotension, and bradycardia at the time of syncope and several case reports have shown sudden withdrawal of vasoconstrictor sympathetic neural outflow to skeletal muscle in human subjects. In cats and rats, a similar response can be provoked with hemorrhage and is prevented by interruption of cardiac vagal C-fiber afferents. In dogs, however, section of these fibers does not prevent the development of a vasodepressor response. The provocation of vasodepressor syncope during nitroprusside infusion in a heart transplant recipient with presumed ventricular denervation also suggests that cardiac afferent nerves may not be required for the development of vasodepressor responses in humans. Other potential mechanisms include release of endogenous opioids or nitric oxide that may inhibit sympathetic nerve firing, and primary central nervous system activation (as in partial seizures) that triggers cardioinhibitory and vasodepressor responses. This article reviews our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development of neurally mediated syncope.

Blood pressure, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and catecholamines during rapid ventricular pacing and effects of beta-adrenergic blockade in coronary artery disease

To study neurohumoral control mechanisms of the hemodynamic response to ventricular tachycardia, arterial blood pressure, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and catecholamine levels were monitored during simulated ventricular tachycardia before and after administration of beta blockade. Tachycardia was simulated by ventricular pacing at 150 beats/min for 150 seconds in 9 patients without and 14 with angiographically demonstrable coronary artery disease (CAD). The effects of intravenous propranolol (0.15 mg/kg) were evaluated in 7 control subjects and in 13 patients with CAD. Arterial blood pressure decreased to its minimum within 5 seconds after onset of pacing in all patients, the decrease being 27 and 30% (p = not significant) in the groups without and with CAD, respectively. Propranolol did not affect the initial decline, but blunted subsequent recovery. The ANP baseline levels were similar in both groups, increasing by 60% (p less than 0.05) and 71% (p less than 0.02) in the groups without and with CAD, respectively, during ventricular pacing. After administration of propranolol the increase in ANP was 180% in both groups. Rapid ventricular pacing did not affect catecholamine levels before propranolol, but after propranolol norepinephrine increased by 71 (p less than 0.02) and 97% (p less than 0.01) in patients without and with CAD, respectively. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.53, p = 0.001) between pacing-induced ANP and norepinephrine changes, but changes in arterial blood pressure did not correlate with those in either of these hormones. Thus, beta-adrenergic blockade blunts blood pressure recovery during simulated ventricular tachycardia. However, this is partly counterbalanced by increased circulating norepinephrine levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Differentiation of arrhythmias by measurement of intracardiac pressures in man

Antitachycardia devices currently use sustained high rate, abrupt changes in cycle length, and probability density function to determine the onset of ventricular tachycardia. Hemodynamic changes occur with the onset of tachycardia and may provide a method of discriminating supraventricular from ventricular tachycardia. In this study, patients had atrial and ventricular pressures measured during rapid atrial and ventricular pacing. Right atrial pressure increased significantly with ventricular pacing but not with atrial pacing. Right ventricular pressures did not significantly differ with atrial or ventricular pacing. The change in atrial pressure compared to baseline was greater, with ventricular pacing compared to atrial pacing. Right ventricular pressure increased compared to baseline with atrial or ventricular pacing, but there was no significant difference between pacing modalities. Measurement of right atrial pressure might prove useful in discriminating supraventricular from ventricular tachycardia.

Hemodynamic effects of intravenous procainamide during ventricular tachycardia

Radionuclide angiography was used to study the hemodynamic effects of intravenous procainamide during stable monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. In four patients studied without procainamide, the ejection fraction was 25% +/- 2.4% during normal sinus rhythm, dropped to 11.3% +/- 2.2% (p less than 0.05) at the onset of ventricular tachycardia, increased to 16.7% +/- 1.7% after remaining in ventricular tachycardia for 10 minutes, and returned to 25.3% +/- 3.7% in sinus rhythm. In the 10 study patients, ejection fraction dropped from 36% +/- 5.8% in sinus rhythm to 25% +/- 5.1% in ventricular tachycardia (p less than 0.2). Ejection fraction decreased further (23% +/- 5.0%) following low doses of procainamide (140 +/- 52 mg) despite cycle length prolongation (354 +/- 18 msec versus 373 +/- 21 msec, p less than 0.5). In 8 of 10 patients, there was a progressive increase in the ejection fraction (28.8% +/- 4.1%). Ventricular tachycardia onset also resulted in a decrease in cardiac output and end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes. Two patients who tolerated procainamide in sinus rhythm showed hemodynamic collapse secondary to procainamide during ventricular tachycardia. We conclude that in some patients hemodynamic intolerance to an antiarrhythmic drug may only become evident during ventricular tachycardia.

Efficacy of intravenous propranolol for suppression of inducibility of ventricular tachyarrhythmias with different electrophysiologic characteristics in coronary artery disease

The efficacy of intravenous propranolol for suppression of inducibility of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT) was studied in 24 patients who had failed greater than or equal to 1 membrane-active antiarrhythmic drug (mean 2.2 +/- 1.2 drugs/patient). The response to propranolol was compared in 13 patients who had only stable monomorphic VTs inducible at baseline and another 11 patients who had greater than or equal to 1 episode of electrically unstable VTs (polymorphic VT, ventricular flutter or ventricular fibrillation) at baseline. Seven patients (29%) became noninducible (responders) and 17 patients (71%) remained inducible to sustained VT (nonresponders) after propranolol. The basal heart rate was faster in responders than in nonresponders (101 +/- 14 vs 86 +/- 11 beats/min, p less than 0.01). The magnitude of heart rate reduction was also greater after propranolol in responders (from 101 +/- 14 to 80 +/- 9 beats/min, p less than 0.001) than in nonresponders (from 86 +/- 11 to 74 +/- 9 beats/min, p less than 0.01) (p less than 0.05 between the groups), despite equal plasma propranolol concentrations (84 +/- 50 vs 88 +/- 43 ng/ml, difference not significant). Seven of 11 patients (64%) who had greater than or equal to 1 episode of unstable VTs inducible at baseline responded to intravenous propranolol, whereas none of the patients with only stable monomorphic VTs became noninducible after beta blockade (p less than 0.001). Responders had shorter cycle length of inducible VTs than nonresponders (225 +/- 38 vs 302 +/- 66 ms, p less than 0.001). Thus, intravenous propranolol appears to be efficacious in suppressing fast, electrically unstable VTs, compared to monomorphic VTs with slower rates.