Reduction of antiarrhythmic drug use in patients receiving implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

Widespread use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Additionally, there has been increasing appreciation during this time for both the lack of efficacy and proarrhythmic activity of antiarrhythmic drugs to treat these cardiac arrhythmias. We evaluated the use of antiarrhythmic drugs from 1987 to 1991 (5-year period) at the time of ICD implantation in 25,450 patients. The use of all classes of antiarrhythmic agents decreased from 61% to 24% during this time period (P < 0.05). In addition, there was a significant reduction in antiarrhythmic agent use for each drug class (P < 0.05) with the exception of Class II agents (beta blockers). These changes in drug use occurred independent of any changes in age, sex, ejection fraction, prevalence of coronary artery disease, or type of ventricular arrhythmia (VT vs VF).