ARRHYTHMIA PROPHYLAXIS AFTER AORTA-CORONARY BYPASS - THE EFFECT OF MINIDOSE PROPRANOLOL

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 89  (3) , 439-443
Abstract
After aorta-coronary bypass grafting, 164 consecutive patients were randomized to receive propranolol 5 mg every 6 h orally (82) or to serve as control subjects (82). All patients were receiving beta blockers preoperatively. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups. The incidence of sustained supraventricular (nonsinus) tachyarrhythmias was 23% in the control group and 9.8% in the treated group (P = 0.02). The incidence of ventricular arrhythmias was 15% in the control group and 24% in the treated group (P = 0.005). The overall difference in clinically important arrhythmias was 38% in the control group and 12.2% in the treated group (P = 0.0002). Low-dose oral propranolol in patients who were receiving beta blockers preoperatively is effective in reducing the incidence of clinically important arrhythmias occuring after aorta-coronary bypass grafting.