[Treatment of rhythm disorders by fenoxedil hydrochloride].

Fenoxedil chlorhydrate (FC), which is used as a treatment for cerebral circulatory failure and peripheral vascular disease, has been given to 100 patients with a cardiac arrhythmia: atrial fibrillation (78 cases), atrial flutter (4 cases), atrial tachysystole (2 cases), ventricular extrasystoles (12 cases), and supraventricular extrasystoles (4 cases). FC has been prescribed alone, or as a complement to current anticoagulant or digitalis treatment; combination with prenylamine, amiodarone, dysopyramide or a drug of the quinidine group must always be avoided, and the potassium level checked and corrected if necessary before treatment. In 78 cases of atrial fibrillation, the authors found that sinus rhythm was restored in 58 (74.4%); four cases of flutter were restored, and one case out of two of atrial tachycardia. In case of supraventricular and ventricular extrasystoles the results are less clear, and merit a further study with a larger number of cases. The electrocardiographic disorders encountered in this series have been evaluated: lenghthening of the QT interval, disorders of atrioventricular conduction, sinus inhibition. They were either produced by or aggravated by the FC. No cases of axis deviation were encountered. The authors make mention of the complications observed by other authors, but draw a distinction between the prescription of FC in cases of cerebral vascular insufficiency, without previous knowledge of the exact cardiac status of the patient (otherwise there is a risk of severe accidents), and the use of FC in cases of arrhythmia which have undergone full assessment before the drug is used. According to this study, FC appears to be a very effective anti-arrhythmic agent, but its use demands very rigorous clinical and electrocardiographic supervision.