Electrophysiologic and antiarrhythmic effects of sotalol in patients with life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias

Abstract

Sotalol is a unique β-blocker that lengthens cardiac repolarization and effective refractory period (ERP). Its efficacy after intravenous (1.5 mg/kg) and oral (160 to 480 mg bid) administration was therefore evaluated in 37 patients with refractory recurrent ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF). Thirty-five patients, 33 with inducible VT/VF, underwent electrophysiologic testing. Intravenous sotalol lengthened the ERP in the atrium (+24.6%, p < .01), atrioventricular node (+24.9%, p < .01), and ventricle (+14.9%, p < l01), paired PVCs by 89% (p < .01), and beats of ventricular tachycardia by 95% (p