Congestive Heart Failure Caused by Oral Disopyramide

Abstract

Disopyramide was reported by Mokier and Van Arman in 1962 to be an effective antiarrhythmic agent.1 It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1978 for use in patients with ventricular arrhythmias, and it has gained prompt and wide acceptance. Although disopyramide differs structurally from quinidine, these two drugs have similar electrophysiologic properties.2 , 3 A number of studies have shown disopyramide to be as effective as quinidine and to produce fewer adverse reactions.4 5 6 7 The side effects encountered have generally been related to the anticholinergic properties of disopyramide; although usually mild, these side effects have sometimes proved disabling.4 , 8 , 9 Major adverse . . .