Esmolol clinical studies

Esmolol
BREVIBLOC® FDA Package Insert
Indications and Usage
Dosage and Administration
Dosage Forms and Strengths
Contraindications
Warnings and Precautions
Adverse Reactions
Drug Interactions
Use in Specific Populations
Overdosage
Description
Clinical Pharmacology
Nonclinical Toxicology
Clinical Studies
How Supplied/Storage and Handling
Patient Counseling Information
Labels and Packages

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Zaghw, M.D. [2]

Clinical Studies

Supraventricular Tachycardia

In two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled comparisons of BREVIBLOC injection with placebo and propranolol, maintenance doses of 50 to 300 mcg/kg/min of BREVIBLOC were found to be more effective than placebo and about as effective as propranolol, 3-6 mg given by bolus injections, in the treatment of supraventricular tachycardia, principally atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. The majority of these patients developed their arrhythmias postoperatively. About 60-70% of the patients treated with BREVIBLOC developed either a 20% reduction in heart rate, a decrease in heart rate to less than 100 bpm, or, rarely, conversion to normal sinus rhythm and about 95% of these patients did so at a dosage of 200 mcg/kg/min or less. The average effective dosage of BREVIBLOC was approximately 100 mcg/kg/min in the two studies. Other multicenter baseline-controlled studies gave similar results. In the comparison with propranolol, about 50% of patients in both the BREVIBLOC and propranolol groups were on concomitant digoxin. Response rates were slightly higher with both beta blockers in the digoxin-treated patients.

In all studies significant decreases of blood pressure occurred in 20-50% of patients, identified either as adverse reaction reports by investigators, or by observation of systolic pressure less than 90 mmHg or diastolic pressure less than 50 mmHg. The hypotension was symptomatic (mainly hyperhidrosis or dizziness) in about 12% of patients, and therapy was discontinued in about 11% of patients, about half of whom were symptomatic. Hypotension was more common with BREVIBLOC (53%) than with propranolol (17%). The hypotension was rapidly reversible with decreased infusion rate or after discontinuation of therapy with BREVIBLOC. For both BREVIBLOC and propranolol, hypotension was reported less frequently in patients receiving concomitant digoxin.

References

Adapted from the FDA Package Insert.