Antiarrhythmic therapy in the post-infarction setting: update from major amiodarone studies.

Many deaths among hospital survivors of acute myocardial infarction are due to sustained ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. This has prompted the evaluation of prophylactic antiarrhythmic drugs and devices. Although it is widely agreed that antiarrhythmic treatment is useful, it is not certain which therapy provides optimal results. Increasing recognition of the efficacy of amiodarone has prompted the design of several trials of the drug. This paper focuses on primary prophylactic antiarrythmic therapy in the post-infarction setting and particularly on recent amiodarone trials.