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Antiarrhythmic effect of imipramine hydrochloride in patients with ventricular premature complexes without psychological depression.
- Source :
-
The American journal of cardiology [Am J Cardiol] 1982 Jul; Vol. 50 (1), pp. 172-9. - Publication Year :
- 1982
-
Abstract
- A study was performed in cardiac patients without psychological depression to determine (1) the antiarrhythmic efficacy of imipramine, (2) its half-life of elimination and duration of action, and (3) the frequency of adverse effects. Twenty-two patients with 30 or more ventricular premature complexes/hour entered the protocol. A drug-free and a placebo day were followed by dosing with imipramine, 1 mg/kg per day, given in two divided doses. The dose was increased by 1 mg/kg per day every other day until ventricular premature complexes were suppressed by at least 80 percent, adverse drug effects were encountered or a total daily dose of 5 mg/kg per day was given. Each day a 24 hour continuous electrocardiogram was recorded to determine the frequency of ventricular premature complexes and heart rate. During the acute dose-ranging period, 18 patients (82 percent) had an antiarrhythmic effect from imipramine. Two patients received 5 mg/kg per day without any decrease in the frequency of ventricular premature complexes. The half-life of elimination of imipramine (parent compound) was 8.8 +/- 3.72 hours but its duration of action was much longer. Four patients (18 percent) had treatment discontinued because of troublesome adverse effects during a follow-up period of 19 +/- 8.8 months. It is concluded that imipramine is a potent antiarrhythmic drug with a long duration of action and relatively few major adverse effects.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Aged
Cardiac Complexes, Premature psychology
Depressive Disorder psychology
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Administration Schedule
Electrocardiography
Female
Half-Life
Heart Ventricles drug effects
Humans
Imipramine blood
Male
Middle Aged
Cardiac Complexes, Premature drug therapy
Imipramine therapeutic use
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0002-9149
- Volume :
- 50
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The American journal of cardiology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 6178282
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9149(82)90025-x