Acute drug test

Initially introduced by Lown et al.. [1–4], these authors demonstrated the efficacy of this test in the treatment of patients with malignant ventricular arrhythmias. The test consists of the administration of acute oral doses of antiarrhythmic drug so as to determine whether the drug can suppress the premature ventricular contractions. If this is the case, it is probable that chronic administration of the antiarrhythmic will be useful. The acute drug test also allows us to know if the drug has an arrhythmogenic effect. The aims of the acute drug test, therefore, are: a) to identify therapy for arrhythmias more scientifically and less empirically; b) to objectively prove whether the therapeutic efficacy of the drugs administered acutely is maintained with chronic administration; c) to avoid iatrogenic risks (specially arrhythmogenesis) of antiarrhythmic drugs.