Improved diastolic LV filling after acute application of ajmaline in patients with coronary artery disease and normal systolic LV function

Abstract

Summary: To determine whether ajmaline (A) can be safely applied in coronary artery disease (CAD), changes of left ventricular (LV) function after acute ajmaline application were analyzed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in 10 CAD patients. LV pressures in systole and end-diastole and LVEF remained normal and comparable. Doppler normalized peak filling rate (p<0.02), peak early/atrial filling velocity (E/A) ratio (peO.01) and Edeceleration (pe0.05) increased. The increase in E/A and in E-deceleration relative to base values was directly correlated (p<O.OOl). PEP increased, LVET remained unchanged. LV diastolic filling is improved after acute application of ajmaline in patients with CAD and normal systolic function; its application may be advised not only for therapy of arrhythmia but also to improve left ventricular diastolic mechanics in these patients.

Acute Effects of a Class IA Antiarrhythmic Drug on the Ventricular Evoked Response Amplitude in Patients with Cardiac Pacemakers

“…Ajmaline administration was well tolerated, as it has little or no effect on the left ventricular function [5, 8]. The regular indications for ajmaline are the assessment of patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, Brugada syndrome and bifascicular block, as well as the termination of supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias [9, 10, 11, 12, 13].…”

Prajmalium

“…It should be noted that in the clinical study of Kleinsorge, ajmaline was reported to have positive inotropic effect (59,75,78). Huting et al (67) showed no adverse hemodynamic effects of ajmaline in patients with preserved left ventricular function.…”