A comparison of sotalol and procainamide in symptomatic ventricular tachycardia

The effects of oral sotalol were compared with 1000 and 1500 mg of procainamide in 23 patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia. The predictive value of an induction study after procainamide was assessed. The mean age of the study group was 62 +/- 12 years, and the mean ejection fraction was 32 +/- 16%. The cycle length (CL) of the induced tachycardia, the coupling interval (CI) of the first extrastimulus (in ms), and the number of noninducible (NI) patients are given in the table below. (table; see text) One patient developed torsades during the loading period of sotalol and is included in the number requiring cardioversion (DC). Important proarrhythmic effects (spontaneous occurrence of tachycardia) were seen twice after procainamide. Induction suppression by procainamide predicted success with sotalol (p = 0.0013).

Ventricular tachycardia seems to be less often inducible after oral sotalol than after procainamide. The success of procainamide during programmed electrical stimulation predicts the same for sotalol. If ventricular tachycardia remains inducible after oral sotalol, it is faster than after procainamide but slower than the baseline tachycardia. Both drugs slightly prolong refractoriness.