In patients who have a high density of PVCs with normal ventricular function, optimal treatment and surveillance for prevention and detection of decline in ventricular function have not been established. 2. In a double-blind parallel study of 30 patients with or without ischemic heart disease with >30 PVCs per hour comparing sotalol to propranolol, proarrhythmic effects were present in 1 patient on sotalol. There was no significant difference in suppression of PVCs (sotalol 65%, proprano- lol 44%), with reduction in ventricular couplets being 99% for sotalol and 49% for propranolol. There was a significant increase in QTc in patients In a double-blind, randomized, CLINICAL STATEMENTS AND GUIDELINES placebo-controlled study of 674 patients with HF and LVEF <0.40 attributed to ischemic or NICM and 10 PVCs per hour, amiodarone significantly reduced VA, slowed heart rate, and was associ- ated with an increase in LVEF by 42% at 2 years with a nonsignificant trend toward reduction in Whether the VA was contributing to ventricular dysfunction in these patients is unknown. 10. VA AND SCD RELATED TO SPECIFIC POPULATIONS In athletes, VAs range from isolated PVCs, cou- plets, and NSVT, to sustained VT and SCA leading to Infrequent PVCs and short runs of repetitive NSVT, especially in the absence of structural heart dis- ease, are more common in nonathletes, but they are generally benign, requiring only a limited workup and rarely lead to disqualification for sports.S10.1-2,S10.1-3 In contrast, longer runs of NSVT, especially when exer- cise-induced, and sustained VT and SCA/SCD are in- frequent, but they have a higher incidence in athletes than that reported for the general population in the corresponding age groups. 