Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia Treated With Intravenous Injections of Quinidine

THE INTRAVENOUS administration of quinidine has not been accepted generally because of serious reactions following its use by this route.1Although intravenous quinidine preparations are known to be effective in terminating paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia,2their use has been delayed because serious sideeffects have occurred when they have been given for this purpose.3There are few reports describing its use in a significant number of attacks of ventricular tachycardia. Hepburn and Rykert2grecorded nine instances, and normal sinus rhythm was restored in eight. Recently Armbrust and Levine,2ain analyzing 107 cases of paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia, described 31 attacks treated with intravenous quinidine. In 20 of the attacks, conversion to normal sinus rhythm occurred at a time which indicated a response to quinidine therapy. Herrmann and Hejtmancik2ffound it effective in two of three cases, and Clagett2bsuccessfully treated three patients. Strong and Munroe2eand, more recently, Bell and his associates2chave