[Efficacy and tolerance of propafenone in the treatment of cardiac rhythm disorders. Evaluation of a multicenter open trial on 3,687 patients].

Propafenone, an anti-arrhythmic medication recently introduced in class lc, was tested in a multicentric open study including 3,687 patients (mean age: 60 years), presenting a supra ventricular (n = 2,146, 59 p. cent), nodal (n = 351, 10 p. cent) or ventricular (n = 1,613, 44 p. cent) arrhythmia, in order to study its efficacy and tolerance. After exclusion of the patients on whom there was a contra-indications to the use of anti-arrhythmic drugs, Propafenone was administered orally, on a long-term basis, at the usual dose of 600-900 mg per 24 hours. The efficacy and tolerance were evaluated according to the usual clinical and paraclinical criteria (EKG, Holter) on the 15th day, then every month during the treatment period. The efficacy of the treatment was evaluated as very good in 54 p. cent of the cases, good in 25 p. cent of the cases, average in 8 p. cent of the patients and non-existent or non significant for 13 p. cent of the patients. Electrocardiographic alterations under Propafenone are already described: CF, PR, QRS. A cardiac undesirable side effect occurred 102 times, most often a sinus bradycardia type (n = 26), atrio-ventricular conduction disorders (n = 22) or intraventricular conduction disorders (n = 26), disorders of cardiac decompensation (n = 10) or arrhythmogenic effect (n = 18). Other side effects are gastro-intestinal in nature (taste alterations, nausea, vomiting, gastralgia) for 23 p. cent of the patients treated, neuro-sensorial in origin (dizziness, visual disorders, tremors) for 13 p. cent of the patients or of another nature for 5 p. cent of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)