EFFECT OF APRINDINE HYDROCHLORIDE ON HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY

The effects of aprindine hydrochloride, an antiarrhythmic drug of the class IB, on heart rate variability were evaluated in 13 patients (eight men and five women), ages 76 +/- 11 years, who showed a standard deviation of the R-R interval measured at 5-minute intervals (SDANN) of less-than-or-equal-to 100 msec on 24-hour electrocardiograms. After 24-hour electrocardiograms were recorded during the control period, aprindine was administered at a dose of 60 mg/day. After 2 weeks of treatment 24-hour electrocardiograms were again recorded. The SDANN was less-than-or-equal-to 100 msec (mean, 69.3 +/- 17.0 msec) in all patients during the control period, but increased after aprindine administration (mean, 86.1 +/- 31.5 msec, P < 0.05). Thus aprindine improved heart rate variability. This drug may be useful for maintaining normal autonomic nerve activities under stressful conditions and in the treatment of arrhythmias.