Antiarrhythmic Agents and the Danger of Proarrhythmic Events

Editorials15 July 1989Antiarrhythmic Agents and the Danger of Proarrhythmic EventsMark E. Josephson, MDMark E. Josephson, MDAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-111-2-101 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptOnly in the last decade have the proarrhythmic effects of antiarrhythmic agents been evaluated. Most recent studies (1-3) have focused on drugs used to treat ventricular arrhythmias. These studies have dealt with patients primarily being treated for ventricular arrhythmias. The ventricular proarrhythmic effect of these agents has not been evaluated carefully when used to manage supraventricular arrhythmias despite the fact that the induction of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia by antiarrhythmic agents was initially documented in patients being treated for atrial fibrillation (4). Thus, whereas much of the attention to ventricular proarrhythmias has been on treatment of ventricular arrhythmias, similar attention must...References1. Zipes D. Proarrhythmic events. Am J Cardiol. 1988;61:70A-6A. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. BiggerSahar JD. Clinical types of proarrhythmic response to antiarrhythmic drugs. Am J Cardiol. 1987;59:2E-9E. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. HorowitzZipesBigger LDJ. Proarrhythmia, arrhythmogenesis, or aggravation of arrhythmia-a status report, 1987. Am J Cardiol. 1987;59:54E-6E. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. SelzerWray AH. Quinidine syncope: paroxysmal ventricular fibrillation occurring during treatment of chronic atrial arrhythmias. Circulation. 1964;30:17-26. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Morganroth J. Risk factors for the development of proarrhythmic events. Am J Cardiol. 1987;59:32E-7E. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. MorganrothAndersonGentzkow JJG. 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