[Effectiveness of alpha-methyldopa in complex ventricular extrasystole by inhibition of central sympathetic activity]

Twelve patients (11 men, 1 woman) suffering from coronary heart disease, with a mean age of 59 +/- 9 years, were examined before and after 2 weeks of treatment with alpha-methyldopa by means of a 24-hour ECG. Statistical evaluation of the 24-hour analysis of ventricular arrhythmias revealed a decrease of the ventricular extrasystoles from 1605 +/- 2088 to 385 +/- 291 (p less than 0.01). A similar result was also found for couplets, which decreased significantly from 25 +/- 46 to 1.0 +/- 1.5 after treatment with alpha-methyldopa. Statistical evaluation of the maximal grade of arrhythmias according to Lown's classification showed a significant improvement in the Lown grades from 4.2 to 3.2 in all patients (p less than 0.001). Ventricular tachycardia, present in 5 of 12 patients, were prevented in all cases by alpha-methyldopa.