[Possibilities of correcting adverse effects of anti-arrhythmia agents]

A hundred and twenty two patients with premature ventricular contractions and paroxysmal tachycardias were comprehensively studied prior to and following treatment regimen with ethacizin, befol, sodium succinate and their combinations. Besides its significant antiarrhythmic activity, ethacizin displayed a number of adverse cardiac effects, such as excessive negative inotropic and dromotropic ones. Befol and sodium succinate in combination with ethacizin can reduce or even eliminate these side effects in rest and during simulated mental stress and graded exercise. The antiarrhythmic effect of the combined therapy preserved or even became stronger. This therapy may be long performed for arrhythmias even in patients with circulatory insufficiency and cardiac conduction disturbances caused or redoubled by ethacizin.