Moreover all the anti-arrhythmic agents that are used in treatment of AF were potentially pro-arrhythmic especially in patients with coronary artery disease and structurally abnormal heart .
Although atrial fibrillation ( AF ) is the most common sustained arrhythmia seen during daily cardiovascular physician practice , its management remained a challenge for cardiology physician as there was no single anti-arrhythmic agents proved to be effective in converting atrial fibrillation and kept its effectiveness in maintaining sinus rhythm over long term .
Some of these drugs also have serious non cardiac side effects that limit its long term use in the management of atrial fibrillation .
Several new and investigational anti-arrhythmic agents are emerging but data supporting their effectiveness and safety are still limited .
Effectiveness of amiodarone as a single oral dose for recent-onset atrial fibrillation.
The efficacy of amiodarone has been proved in long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm ( SR ) in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ( AF ) . The present study evaluates the efficacy and safety of a single oral dose of amiodarone in patients with recent-onset AF ( < 48 hours ) . Seventy-two patients were r and omized to receive 30 mg/kg of either amiodarone or placebo .  Conversion to SR was verified by 24-hour Holter monitoring . Ten patients were excluded because of SR in the beginning of monitoring or technical failure during Holter monitoring . The remaining study groups were comparable ( n = 31 for each ) , except that in the placebo group beta blockers were more common . The patients receiving amiodarone  converted to SR more effectively than those receiving placebo ( p<0.0001 ) . At 8 hours , approximately 50 % of patients in the amiodarone group and 20 % in the placebo group ( Holter successful ) had converted to SR , whereas after 24 hours the corresponding figures were 87 % and 35 % , respectively . The median time for conversion ( 8.7 hours for amiodarone and 7.9 hours for placebo ) did not differ in the groups . Amiodarone was hemodynamically well tolerated , and the number of adverse events in the study groups was similar . Amiodarone as a single oral dose of 30 mg/kg appears to be effective and safe in patients with recent-onset AF
Moreover all the anti-arrhythmic agents that are used in treatment of AF were potentially pro-arrhythmic especially in patients with coronary artery disease and structurally abnormal heart .
Although atrial fibrillation ( AF ) is the most common sustained arrhythmia seen during daily cardiovascular physician practice , its management remained a challenge for cardiology physician as there was no single anti-arrhythmic agents proved to be effective in converting atrial fibrillation and kept its effectiveness in maintaining sinus rhythm over long term .
Some of these drugs also have serious non cardiac side effects that limit its long term use in the management of atrial fibrillation .
Several new and investigational anti-arrhythmic agents are emerging but data supporting their effectiveness and safety are still limited .