Patients with atrial fibrillation are faced with an increased risk of thromboembolic events, myocardial infarction, chronic heart failure and death. For some patients with atrial fibrillation, direct current cardioversion (DCCV) is a strategy that can be used to reacquire sinus rhythm. Our aim was to analyse the most commonly used medications after an electrical cardioversion, the reasons for not using them, the effects of pharmacotherapy on recurrence rates, and compare results with data from studies in 2014. The prospective study includes patients with electrocardiographically confirmed atrial fibrillation who underwent direct current cardioversion, hospitalised at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital (Rīga, Latvia). The average age was 64.6 years. 50% of the patients were female. During the six-month study period, 14.3% patients were using amiodarone, 8.3% patients were on etacizine, 7.1% received propafenone, and 57.1% used beta blockers in monotherapy or in combination. Warfarin was used in 28.0% patients, direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC’s) in 29.9%, 21,4% of patients received aspirin and 16.7% did not use any antithrombotic therapy. Comparing the recurrence rate in patients using different antiarrhythmic drugs, amiodarone showed a statistically significant superiority compared to etacizine and propafenone (p = 0.02). The obtained data showed that over four years, the use of anticoagulants increased by 11.6%.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.