One of my colleagues expressed the belief that ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation should be treated the same way. This does not square with my knowledge of electrophysiology and pharmacology. Please comment. We wholeheartedly agree with your approach of beginning with basic cardiac electrophysiology…
FAQ of the Week: What is the most recent research regarding the use of antiarrhythmic drugs role in treating refractory ventricular arrhythmias?
The following is a summary of data generated over the last 4 years:
- Most antiarrhythmic drugs increase the defibrillation threshold, potentially making electrical defibrillation more difficult.
- Compared to patients not receiving antiarrhythmic drugs as part of the treatment for refractory ventricular fibrillation, survival was not improved by its use.
- Administration of antiarrhythmic drugs did not improve rates of successful conversion from persistent ventricular arrhythmias.
AMRI Staff