Exercise performance and beta-adrenergic blockade in patients with complete heart block treated with ventricular...

The effect of beta-adrenergic blockade (propranolol) on exercise performance was studied in 15 patients (12 men and 3 women, mean age 70 years) with complete heart block treated with a ventricular-inhibited pacemaker (VVI). In a double-blind procedure, the patients were randomly given either 0.1 mg/kg of propranolol or saline solution i.v. before a first exercise test and vice versa before a second test. The interval between the tests was 24 hours. Nine patients were in sinus rhythm, 4 patients had atrial flutter, and 2 others had atrial fibrillation. The exercise capacity was on an average 11% lower with propranolol than with placebo (p less than 0.001). The most marked reductions (20 and 33%) were found in the two patients with atrial fibrillation. The atrial rate in patients with sinus rhythm was significantly lower with propranolol than placebo both at rest (68 vs. 83 beats/min, p less than 0.001) and at maximal work load (91 vs. 141 beats/min, p less than 0.001). The present findings show that beta blockade has negative effects on exercise capacity in patients with complete heart block treated with VVI pacemakers. This finding should be considered in the selection of drug treatment in patients with fixed rate pacing and concomitant hypertension and/or ischemic heart disease.