COMPARISON OF THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTIVENESS OF APRINDINE, PROCAINAMIDE AND QUINIDINE IN CHRONIC VENTRICULAR DYSRHYTHMIAS.

A cross-over study with aprindine (100 mg daily after a loading dose of 200 mg), procainamide (4 times 1000 mg daily) and quinidine bisulphate (2 times 750 mg daily), all given orally, was performed in seventeen patients with stable chronic premature ventricular contractions following healed myocardial infarction., The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated during three consecutive weeks by continuous ambulatory tape recording of the electrocardiogram and repeated determinations of plasma levels were done., The results showed that aprindine was more effective than procainamide and quinidine., For the three drugs the therapeutic plasma levels varied markedly from patient to patient, but for each patient taken individually, the therapeutic activity could be correlated with the plasma levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]