Comparative antiarrhythmic efficacy of allapinin, etacizin and bonnecor in patients with paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia assessed by Holter ECG

Comparative antiarrhythmic efficacy of oral allapinin, etacizin and bonnecor was assessed in 43 patients with paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia. Holter ECG monitoring was used as a control. Suppression of more than 50% of total ventricular ectopic beats, a 90% decrease in the number of paired ventricular premature beats and complete alleviation of ventricular tachycardia were used as criteria of efficacy. These criteria were met in 59%, 52% and 60% of patients during short courses of treatment by allapinin, etacizin and bonnecor, respectively. Patients with positive results of hospital drug testing continued to take them outpatiently. During long term (up to 8 years) therapy recurrencies of ventricular tachycardia occurred in 44%, 36%, and 50% of patients treated by allapinin, etacizin and bonnecor, respectively. Most of the recurrencies occurred during first 4 months after the discharge from hospital. The results indicated that information obtained at 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring was not sufficient for prediction of long-term clinical efficacy of allapinin, etacizin or bonnecor in patients with parozysmal ventricular tachycardia.