[Cholestatic hepatitis caused by prajmalium treatment: case report]

Prajmalium rarely causes idiosyncratic liver injury. Author describes the case of cholestatic hepatitis occurring in three weeks after cessation of short-term treatment with prajmalium. Eighteen months later, despite of good general status, physical and biochemical features of cholestasis were present. Pathologic examination of liver biopsy specimen revealed the chronic intracellular cholestasis with lymphocytic infiltration. Presented case indicate that even short-term treatment with potentially weekly hepatotoxic drug may cause the long-term intrahepatic cholestasis.

[Cardiogenic shock and ventricular fibrillation induced by prajmalium and metoprolol poisoning]

Prajmaline is not a relatively well known and frequently used antiarrhythmic belonging to Class IA group of antiarrhythmics, which was administered to a young male with metoprolol for the treatment of parasystole. The patient took in 120 mgs prajmaline and 600 mgs metoprolol during the day of the case, which leads to cardiogenic shock, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. The patient's parameters were normalized after successful resuscitation, temporary pacemaker and two days long Dopamin therapy. Therapy was not regarded to be necessary for a few ventricular premature beats detected during a week observation period. The patient is without complaints now, and significant ventricular arrhythmias, or malignant ventricular ectopy hasn't been proved with ECG tests and Holter monitoring for more than three months. Due to adverse effect profile of prajmaline, even at commonly used doses it should be administered carefully and other agents should probably be considered first before beginning long term treatment with prajmaline.

[Anti-arrhythmic effectiveness of neogilurhythmal in extrasystolic arrhythmia]

The paper provides the results of differential neogilurythmal therapy in 20 patients with high-grade atrial and ventricular premature contractions in the presence of coronary heart disease. The detection of cardiac arrhythmias and evaluation of the antiarrhythmic efficacy of neogilurythmal were performed by Holter monitoring and transesophageal electrophysiological study. After the baseline studies, the antiarrhythmic efficacy of the drug was evaluated during an acute drug test and then during a 8-day course of the therapy. In the acute drug test, the dose of neogilurythmal was 50% of the daily dosage. The studies indicated that neogilurythmal in a dose of 80 mg/day was beneficial in affecting both the atrial and ventricular extrasystolic arrhythmia. The agent failed to alter heart rate, sinus nodal function and atrioventricular conduction. Thus, neogilurythmal is low toxic and produces no adverse effects when given in the definite dosage range.

[Combined action of anti-arrhythmia agents]

A significant potentiation of antiarrhythmic effect was observed in 121 dogs with arrhythmias 24 and 48 hours after the coronary artery ligation when the following drugs were combined: N-propylajmaline bromide (1A class) and trimecaine (1B class), quinidine (1A class) and trimecaine, N-propylajmaline bromide and anaprilin (2 class). The potentiation is attributed to the different molecular mechanisms of action of the drugs.

[Effects of N-propylajmaline bromide and trimecaine combination on normal and abnormal automatism of Purkinje fibers in dogs and arrhythmias at the late stage of experimental myocardial infarct]

Prajmalium bromide in combination with trimecaine was tested for effects on arrhythmias in the late period of canine experimental myocardial infarction. The combination given in subthreshold doses was found to restore sinus rhythm in 8 of 11 cases. It also decreased the maximum repolarization rate in rat papillary muscles to a greater extent than either drug given alone. The rate of spontaneous firing of Purkinje fibers from the ischemic zone was decreased by the combination of the drugs.

[Effect of N-propylajmaline bromide on the normal and abnormal automatism of Purkinje fibers in the dog]

The effects of prajmalium bromide on normal and abnormal automaticity were studied in Purkinje fibers from dog hearts at late stages of experimental myocardial infarction. Prajmalium bromide (1.2 micromol/l) moderately reduced the frequency of normal and abnormal automaticity by 16 and 20% respectively. Prajmalium bromide induced early after-depolarizations, increased the frequency of spontaneous firing and decreased the maximum diastolic potential in the fibers that initially developed the automaticity of an intermediate type between normal and abnormal. It is suggested that antiarrhythmic effects of prajmalium bromide in the late stage of experimental myocardial infarction are not related to the influence of the drug on the abnormal automaticity in Purkinje fibers.

Three types of atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia using bilateral accessory pathways in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Electrophysiologic studies were performed on a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and recurrent supraventricular tachycardia. Bilateral accessory pathways capable of antegrade and retrograde conduction and three different types of atrioventricular (AV) reciprocating tachycardia were demonstrated. One type of narrow QRS tachycardia used the normal AV pathway for antegrade conduction and the left-sided accessory pathway for retrograde conduction. Two types of wide QRS tachycardia (one with right bundle branch block and one with left bundle branch block) used both accessory pathways for antegrade and retrograde conduction, respectively, and were independent of the normal AV pathway. The data showed that bilateral accessory pathways have different electrophysiologic properties and participate in three different types of AV reciprocating tachycardia.

[Combination of quinidine polygalacturonate and prajmalium bitartrate in the prevention of disabling paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Description of a case]

The Authors refer on the antiarrhythmic efficacy of quinidine polygalacturonate and prajmalium bitartrate combination for the treatment of refractory recurrent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, in one patient.

Comparison of antiarrhythmic effects of oral prajmalium bitartrate and intravenous lidocaine in acute myocardial infarction

In 35 patients with acute myocardial infarction premature ventricular complexes were quantified from stored continuous electrocardiographic tape recordings using a semiautomated arrhythmia detection system. Seventeen patients, separated at random, received no antiarrhythmic drug and formed the control group. In nine patients prajmalium bitartrate was given orally at a dose of 60 mg. (20 mg. every 4 hours). Nine patients had permanent infusions of 2.1 mg./minute lidocaine (corresponding to a daily dose of 3 g.). In both treated groups premature ventricular complexes decreased significantly as compared to the spontaneous frequency in the control group. Six hours after the onset of therapy premature ventricular complexes were reduced to 37% of the initial value in the prajmalium bitartrate group and to 51% in the lidocaine group, whereas in the control group frequency increased (169%). The peak effect was reached after ten hours when premature ventricular complexes were reduced to 5% under prajmalium bitartrate and to 20% under lidocaine administration. Runs of premature ventricular complexes were nearly completely suppressed after administration of prajmalium bitartrate. Under lidocaine administration runs were moderately and not significantly reduced. Eight hours after the onset of therapy, runs were reduced to 8% of the initial value under prajmalium bitartrate and to only 79% under lidocaine. The effect of prajmalium bitartrate on runs of premature ventricular complexes was significantly more pronounced than the effect of lidocaine. The present study documents that orally administered prajmalium bitartrate is an alternative to intravenous administration of lidocaine in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction.