[Permanent repetitive nonparoxysmal ventricular tachycardia. II. The results of using anti-arrhythmia preparations and the characteristics of its long-term course].

A total of 20 patients with repetitive nonparoxysmal ventricular tachycardia (RNVT) underwent Holter ECG monitoring to test efficacy of successive oral antiarrhythmic drugs. The response was recorded in 50% of the patients. Although the effect of the drugs persisted for a few months only, RNVT ran without severe symptoms, in contrast to paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia. Long-term course of RNVT is characterized by dilatation of the left ventricular compartment under increasing ejection fraction and absence of cardiac insufficiency. A close relationship exists between the end-diastolic volume, ejection fraction of the left ventricle and RNVT duration. This is attributed to heart adaptation to long-term activity in the conditions of tachycardia.