These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Antiarrhythmic effect of imipramine hydrochloride in patients with ventricular premature complexes without psychological depression.
    Author: Giardina EG, Bigger JT.
    Journal: Am J Cardiol; 1982 Jul; 50(1):172-9. PubMed ID: 6178282.
    Abstract:
    A study was performed in cardiac patients without psychological depression to determine (1) the antiarrhythmic efficacy of imipramine, (2) its half-life of elimination and duration of action, and (3) the frequency of adverse effects. Twenty-two patients with 30 or more ventricular premature complexes/hour entered the protocol. A drug-free and a placebo day were followed by dosing with imipramine, 1 mg/kg per day, given in two divided doses. The dose was increased by 1 mg/kg per day every other day until ventricular premature complexes were suppressed by at least 80 percent, adverse drug effects were encountered or a total daily dose of 5 mg/kg per day was given. Each day a 24 hour continuous electrocardiogram was recorded to determine the frequency of ventricular premature complexes and heart rate. During the acute dose-ranging period, 18 patients (82 percent) had an antiarrhythmic effect from imipramine. Two patients received 5 mg/kg per day without any decrease in the frequency of ventricular premature complexes. The half-life of elimination of imipramine (parent compound) was 8.8 +/- 3.72 hours but its duration of action was much longer. Four patients (18 percent) had treatment discontinued because of troublesome adverse effects during a follow-up period of 19 +/- 8.8 months. It is concluded that imipramine is a potent antiarrhythmic drug with a long duration of action and relatively few major adverse effects.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]