COMPARISON OF THE EFFICACY OF ß BLOCKER AND IVABRADINE IN POST COVID-19 ASSOCIATED INAPPROPRIATE SINUS TACHYCARDIA.

Introduction: Covid 19 infection is a recent pandemic which has been linked numerous symptoms post recovery from acute illness. Inappropriate sinus tachycardia[IST] is one of the conditions seen in patients recovered from Covid 19 infection. Currently there is no effective treatment for IST. The present study compares the efficacy of Beta blockers and Ivabradine in controlling the heart rate in IST. Methods: A multi centric prospective study was carried out in 48 patients who developed Post COVID IST for a period of six months. The data was collected and analysed using appropriate statistical test for comparision of minimal, mean, and maximum heart rate at zero, three, and six months. RESULTs: The participants were divided into two random groups. Group A received Metoprolol 50 mg once daily and group B received Ivabradine 5 mg twice daily. Both the groups were followed and then their minimal, mean and maximal heart rate was recorded at zero, three and six months. Both the drugs were found to be effective in decreasing the heart rate with a p value of less than 0.05. Ivabradine was found to be superior than metoprolol in controlling mean heart rate over six months duration with a p value of less than 0.01.Ivabradine also had better effect than metoprolol in controlling maximal heart rate at three months with a p value of less than 0.01 and over six months with a p value of less than 0.001. Conclusion: Treatment of post COVID 19 IST with Ivabradine has shown to improve basal as well as mean heart rate and is more effective than Beta blocker for a long term use. It can be used as a better alternative to Beta blocker who developed its side effects or are intolerant to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]