Intravenous amiodarone in treatment of recent-onset atrial fibrillation: Results of a randomized, controlled study

Abstract

Intravenous amiodarone, at the doses used in this study, produces a modest but not significant benefit in converting acute atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm.

Intravenous amiodarone for cardioversion of recent‐onset atrial fibrillation

“…[11][12][13][14] These discrepancies, perhaps, may occur by chance, as the study groups were small. The differences in patients' baseline characteristics, duration of index AF episode, and mode of 332 Table I.…”

“…The results of these studies are discordant: the efficacy rate varies from only 59% to as much as 92%. The remaining published studies [11][12][13][14][15][16] dealt either with patients with longer AF duration or oral loading of amiodarone.…”

Evidence-Based Analysis of Amiodarone Efficacy and Safety

“…64 Control of ventricular rate in AF was evaluated in 2 placebocontrolled studies, both of which reported significantly lower ventricular rates with amiodarone. 69,70 Thus, amiodarone is effective for acute conversion of AF and has a beneficial effect on heart rate in AF.…”

Part 6: Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support : Section 5: Pharmacology I: Agents for Arrhythmias

“…55 Conversion to normal sinus rhythm may occur with amiodarone. Therefore, in patients at risk for systemic emboli, amiodarone is recommended only when other medications for rate control have proved ineffective or are contraindicated and the risk of possible pharmacological cardioversion is felt to be justified.…”

“…Therefore, in patients at risk for systemic emboli, amiodarone is recommended only when other medications for rate control have proved ineffective or are contraindicated and the risk of possible pharmacological cardioversion is felt to be justified. Some studies have found that whereas amiodarone was effective for rate control, conversion to sinus rhythm was no greater with conventional doses of IV amiodarone than placebo or digitalis, [55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67]160 particularly in refractory AF and clinical shock. Because of this concern amiodarone should be reserved for use within the first 48 hours of arrhythmia onset 62,78 or in patients in whom other rate-control measures are ineffective or contraindicated.…”