Long‐Term Sotalol Therapy in Patients with Arrhythmias

Abstract

Sotalol, a pure .beta.-adrenergic receptor antagonist, was studied in a 1st and 2nd therapy period. Patients (38) with atrial or ventricular arrhythmias were included in the 1st therapy period. After a drug-free period of .apprx. 2 mo., 14 of the 38 patients entered the 2nd therapy period and were given oral sotalol. During the 2 treatment periods, oral sotalol was given in doses ranging from 40-480 mg/day for 0.5-11 mo. in the 1st period and for 4-9 mo. in the 2nd period. Oral sotalol decreased or abolished arrhythmias in 92% of the patients in the 1st therapy period and in all the patients in the 2nd therapy period. Minor side effects occurred in 2 patients. Sotalol possesses a unique class II antiarrhythmic action. The electrophysiological profile is different from other .beta.-adrenergic blocking agents in that sotalol prolongs the duration of the intracellularly recorded action potential. This property may contribute to the antiarrhythmic efficacy seen with sotalol.