[Effects of propafenone on the parameters of body surface electrocardiogram in comparison with those of disopyramide].

The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical effects of propafenone on the QT(QTc), QRS, PQ and RR interval of body surface electrocardiogram (ECG) in comparison with the effects of disopyramide. In 10 patients (5 with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 5 with ventricular premature complex: ages 48-77), after 4 days' observation without any cardioactive drugs, disopyramide (300mg/day) was administered orally for 7 days. After discontinuing the administration of disopyramide, 4 more days were allowed to wash out the drug, and propafenone (450mg/day) was administered orally for 7 days. 12-lead ECG was taken twice before the administration of disopyramide (Pre-1 and -2), on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days after the administration of disopyramide. Then it was also taken on the day before the beginning of propafenone administration and on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days after the administration of propafenone. The corrected QT (QTc = QT/square root of RR), QRS, PQ and RR intervals in lead II or V2 of each ECG were measured as the mean value of 5 consecutive sinus beats. The control values of QTc, QRS, PQ and RR intervals were calculated as the mean values of Pre-1 and -2, and the other values were expressed as the % ratio to the control values. Propafenone hardly altered the QTc interval but prolonged QRS interval after the 5th day of administration (110 +/- 12%, p < 0.05), while disopyramide significantly prolonged the QTc interval after the 3rd day of administration (109 +/- 5%, p < 0.001) without affecting the QRS interval.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)