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 .
Intravenous digoxin in acute atrial fibrillation. Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled multicentre trial in 239 patients. The Digitalis in Acute Atrial Fibrillation (DAAF) Trial Group.
AIMS The DAAF Trial was design ed to investigate whether digoxin , within 16 h of its use , increases the rate of conversion to sinus rhythm in patients with acute atrial fibrillation . METHODS AND RESULTS In a r and omized , double-blind multicentre trial the effects of intravenous digoxin and placebo , ( mean dose 0.88 + /- 0.35 mg and 0.96 + /- 0.37 mg ) were compared in 239 patients with a mean age of 66.2 + /- 13.0 years and atrial fibrillation of , at most , 7 days ' duration . The mean arrhythmia duration was 21.7 + /- 30.4 h and baseline heart rate 122.0 + /- 23.0 beats.min-1 . At 16 h , 46 % of the placebo group and 51 % of the digoxin group had converted to sinus rhythm , ( ns ) . Time to sinus rhythm was shorter in the digoxin group , but the difference was not significant . Digoxin had a pronounced and rapid effect on heart rate , which was already significant at 2 h ; 104.6 + /- 20.9 beats.min-1 vs 116.8 + /- 22.5 beats.min-1 ( P = 0.0001 ) . CONCLUSION Acute intravenous treatment with digoxin does not increase the rate of conversion to sinus rhythm , but has a fast acting and clinical ly significant effect on heart rate and should remain an alternative in haemodynamically stable patients
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 .