Calcium channel blockers and beta-blockers versus beta-blockers alone for preventing exercise-induced arrhythmias in catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia

Abstract

Background: The mainstay of therapy for catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is maximal doses of β-blockers. However, although β-blockers prevent exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia (VT), most patients continue to have ventricular ectopy during exercise, and some studies report high mortality rates despite β-blockade. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether combining a calcium channel blocker with β-blockers would prevent ventricular arrhythmias during exercise better than β-blockers alone since the mutations causing CPVT lead to intracellular calcium overload. Methods: Five patients with CPVT and one with polymorphic VT (PVT) and hypertro..