No other antiarrhythmic showed a significant effect on mortality compared with controls .
Class IA , IC , and III drugs are effective in maintaining sinus rhythm but increase adverse effects , and class IA drugs may increase mortality
BACKGROUND A variety of antiarrhythmic drugs have been used to prevent recurrence of atrial fibrillation after conversion to sinus rhythm .
We performed a systematic review to determine the effect of long-term treatment with those drugs on death , embolisms , adverse effects , and atrial fibrillation recurrence .
Effect of quinidine on maintaining sinus rhythm after conversion of atrial fibrillation or flutter. A multicentre study from Stockholm.
In a controlled study comprising 176 patients ,  quinidine in the form of Kinidin Durules was found to reduced significantly the recurrence of the atrial fibrillation  during a 1-year follow-up period after successful electric shock conversion . After one year , 51 per cent ( 52/101 ) of the patients in the quinidine group , and 28 per cent ( 21/75 ) in the control group remained in sinus rhythm ( P smaller than 0.001 ) . No less than 43 per cent of the patients converted to sinus rhythm during treatment with maintenance doses of quinidine sulphate before intended DC conversion . Gastrointestinal side-effects were not uncommon , and caused interruption of quinidine treatment in some cases
No other antiarrhythmic showed a significant effect on mortality compared with controls .
Class IA , IC , and III drugs are effective in maintaining sinus rhythm but increase adverse effects , and class IA drugs may increase mortality
BACKGROUND A variety of antiarrhythmic drugs have been used to prevent recurrence of atrial fibrillation after conversion to sinus rhythm .
We performed a systematic review to determine the effect of long-term treatment with those drugs on death , embolisms , adverse effects , and atrial fibrillation recurrence .