Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias after myocardial revascularization: A randomized trial of prophylactic digitalization

The success of prophylactic digitalization in reducing the incidence of patients tachyarrhythmias (SVT) was studied in 140 randomly grouped, consecutive patients undergoing myocardial revascularization operations. The test received either 1 or 1.5 mg of digoxin the day before operation and were maintained postoperatively on 0.25 mg. of digoxin daily. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the incidence of SVT in the treated patients (17 of 61 or 27.8 percent) vs. the untreated patietns (nine of 79 or 11.4 percent). There was no significant difference in SVT with the two digitalization dosage levels (31.6 percent with 1 mg. vs. 21.7 percent with 1.5 mg.). Prophylactic digitalization demonstrates no benefit in the prevention of SVT following myocardial revascularization and may, in fact, predispose the patient to these arrhythmias.