HOSPITAL READMISSION IN HEART FAILURE (HF) PATIENTS ... In patients with pure autonomic failure (PAF n = 6), dopamine g-hydroxylase deficiency. (DBH ...
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
American Societyfor Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 165
VOLUM~ s9, WOMBER2
PII-25 INFLUENCE OF THE ESVEM STUDY ON THE USAGE OF ANTIARRHYTMICS FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION. M. J. Kluger, MD, and M.S.S. Chow, PharmD, Univ. of Conn. School of Pharm., Storm, and Hartford Hospital, Harftford, CT We investigated the use of both Class I and III antiarrhythmics (AA) in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) to determine whether their usage was affected by the results of the ESVEM trial (a ventricular arrhythmia trial). A retrospective, computer-assisted review of drug charges in patients with diagnosis of AF and procedures of cardioversion or defibrillation was conducted to identify AA use during hospitalization at a large, tertiary care hospital from January 1992 to July 1993 (pre-ESVEM) and January to December 1994 (post-ESVEM). Results: pre-ESVEM post-ESVEM # of patients 86 161 # on AA 62 (72%) 119 (79%) # on Class I AA 54 (87%) 50 (42%)" # on Class III AA 8 (13%) 69 (58%)* amiodarone 5 (8%) 18 (15%)* sotalol 3 (5%) 51 (43%)* # on digoxin 57 (66%) 110 (68%) (*): Chi-square, P
