Novel class III antiarrhythmic agent niferidile: review of experimental and clinical studies

• Published in: Kardiologiia Vol. 54; no. 1; p. 4
• Main Authors: Maĭkov, E B, Iuricheva, Iu A, Mironov, N Iu, Sokolov, S F, Golitsyn, S P, Rozenshtraukh, L V, Chazov, E I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 2014
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents - therapeutic use; Atrial Fibrillation - drug therapy; Atrial Fibrillation - physiopathology; Dogs; Heart Atria - drug effects; Heart Atria - physiopathology; Humans; Myocytes, Cardiac - drug effects; Piperidines - administration & dosage; Piperidines - adverse effects; Piperidines - therapeutic use; Potassium Channel Blockers - administration & dosage; Potassium Channel Blockers - adverse effects; Potassium Channel Blockers - therapeutic use; Rats; Tachycardia, Supraventricular - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0022-9040

This article reviews experimental and clinical studies of a novel antiarrhythmic agent niferidile. Niferidile, a class III antiarrhythmic agent, blocks potassium outward currents, prolongs repolarization and refractory periods predominantly in atria than in ventricles. Intravenous Niferidile was efficient for interruption of AV-nodal and orthodromic re-entrant tachycardias with rates of 75% to 80%. Niferidile had a conversion rate of up to 87.3% in persistent atrial fibrillation and up to 100% in persistent atrial flutter. Proarrhythmic action of niferidil administration manifested as nonsustained torsade de pointes and monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in 1.2 and 3.7% of cases, respectively. Niferidile can be used for pharmacological cardioversion of persistent atrial fibrillation and flutter as an alternative to electrical cardioversion.