A dose-adjusted, blood-level monitored antiarrhythmic drug regimen resulted in a 6% one-year mortality among survivors of prehospital cardiac arrest, comparing favorably to historical controls.
Cohort (n=16)
Ambulatory rhythm monitoring and chronic arrhythmia management were studied in 16 patients resuscitated from prehospital cardiac arrest. Asymptomatic complex ventricular arrhythmias (ACVA) occurred in 12 patients (75%) entering long-term follow-up during the first 12 months (average follow-up, 13.25 months). The patients' therapy consisted of a dose-adjusted, membrane-active antiarrhythmic drug regimen monitored by blood levels. While there has been little change in the frequency of ACVAs despite carefully controlled antiarrhythmic management, only one death has occurred during 212 patient-months of postarrest follow-up, a 6% one-year mortality. This compares favorably to our previous experience in survivors of prehospital cardiac arrest not receiving a controlled antiarrhythmic program. Despite the failure to suppress ACVAs, the drug-monitored population is showing a trend toward a decreased frequency of recurrent cardiac arrest.
Robert J. Myerburg (Mon,) conducted a cohort in Survivors of prehospital cardiac arrest (n=16). Dose-adjusted, membrane-active antiarrhythmic drug regimen vs. Historical control (patients not receiving a controlled antiarrhythmic program) was evaluated on One-year mortality. A dose-adjusted, blood-level monitored antiarrhythmic drug regimen resulted in a 6% one-year mortality among survivors of prehospital cardiac arrest, comparing favorably to historical controls.