Sotalol hydrochloride is a potent noncardioselective -adrenergic-blockingagent devoid of intrinsic sympathomimetic and membrane-stabilizingactions1,2,3,4,5,6. Unlike other -adrenergic-blocking drugs,sotalol (4-(2-isopropylamino-1-hydroxyethyl) methanesulfonanilidehydrochloric acid) prolongs the duration of action potentialsrecorded in cardiac tissue, increases the refractory period,and lengthens the QT interval on the surface electrocardiogram1,2.It is an effective antiarrhythmic and antifibrillatory agentin patients with various cardiac-rhythm disorders. The drughas been used extensively in Europe and has recently been approvedfor marketing in the United States as an agent for oral usein patients with life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias.
From the Department of Cardiology, University Hospital, Freiburg, Germany (S.H.H.), and the Department of Pharmacology and Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. (R.L.W.).
Address reprint requests to Dr. Hohnloser at University Hospital, Dept. of Cardiology, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
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