Treatment of premature ventricular complexes with acebutolol

The effect of intravenous acebutolol versus saline solution on frequent premature ventricular complexes was evaluated in a double-blind, randomized study in 20 patients, including 3 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Frequent premature ventricular complexes were abolished or reduced by 75% or more in none of 12 patients given saline solution but in 18 of 20 patients (90%) given acebutolol (P less than 0.001). This therapeutic effect of acebutolol persisted for at least 2.5 hours in 17 of 20 patients (85%), for at least 3.5 hours in 14 (70%) and for at least 4 hours in 8 (40%). Acebutolol was well tolerated by the three patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These data indicate that intravenous acebutolol is useful in the treatment of premature ventricular complexes.