Treatment of premature ventricular complexes with acebutolol

The effect of intravenous acebutolol versus saline solution on frequent premature ventricular complexes was evaluated in a double-blind, randomized study in 20 patients, including 3 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Frequent premature ventricular complexes were abolished or reduced by 75 percent or more in none of 12 patients given saline solution but in 18 of 20 patients (90 percent) given acebutolol (P < 0.001). This therapeutic effect of acebutolol persisted for at least 2.5 hours in 17 of 20 patients (85 percent), for at least 3.5 hours in 14 (70 percent) and for at least 4 hours in 8 (40 percent). Acebutolol was well tolerated by the three patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These data indicate that intravenous acebutolol is useful in the treatment of premature ventricular complexes.