ANTAZOLINE RENAISSANCE IN THE TREATMENT OF CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA: A REVIEW

Antazoline is an antihistaminic, immunosuppressive, antiarrhythmic agent. Antazoline can be administered orally, intravenously, intramuscularly or via the ophthalmic route. Antazoline has a limited application as an antiarrhythmic drug. This review was undertaken with the aim to combine the old and the new results of different types of studies (clinical, retrospective, or pharmacokinetic) and sum up the positive and negative effects of antazoline in cardiology and emergency medicine. A literature queries were performed in the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Google scholar, and Web of Science (all from their inception date till June 2019). The queries covered antazoline in combinations with such terms as antiarrhythmic activity, arrhythmia, electrocardiography, emergency medicine, and cardiology. Additional publications were found by checking all the reference lists. The newest research shows that antazoline may have the highest success rate of pharmacological cardioversion among all drugs used in the contemporary treatment of cardiac arrhythmia (up to 85.3%). The rate of cardioversion with antazoline alone was higher than combined amiodarone and/or propafenone. Most of the studies which were reviewed indicated that paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, compared to chronic atrial fibrillation, responded more satisfactorily to antazoline treatment. Most patients tolerated antazoline well and conversion was safe, effective, and smooth. Some research proves that the antazoline use may also reduce the rate of hospitalization due to the adverse effects. Antazoline has a definite place in the therapeutic repertoire for several cardiac arrhythmias. It should not be neglected as an old drug, and ought to be reconsidered in emergency medicine treatment recommendations