SUMMARY The use of statins was significantly associated with a decreased risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with sinus rhythm .
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Whether statins may prevent  atrial fibrillation  remains a subject of debate .
Effects of rosuvastatin on atrial fibrillation occurrence: ancillary results of the GISSI-HF trial.
AIMS This ancillary analysis of the GISSI-HF data base aims at assessing the effect of rosuvastatin on the occurrence of  atrial fibrillation ( AF )  in patients with chronic heart failure ( HF ) who were not in AF at study entry . METHODS AND RESULTS GISSI-HF was a double-blind , placebo-controlled trial testing n-3 PUFA and rosuvastatin vs. corresponding placebos in patients with chronic HF .  Atrial fibrillation occurrence was defined as the presence of AF in the electrocardiogram ( ECG ) performed at each visit during the trial or AF as a cause of worsening HF or hospital admission or as an event during hospitalization . Among the 3690 patients ( 80.7 % ) without AF on their baseline ECG , 15.0 % developed AF during a median follow-up period of 3.7 years , 258 r and omized to rosuvastatin ( 13.9 % ) vs. 294 allocated to placebo ( 16.0 % ) . Although the difference was not significant at unadjusted analysis ( P = 0.097 ) and multivariable analysis adjusting for clinical variables ( P = 0.067 ) , it became significant after adjustment for clinical variables and laboratory examinations ( P = 0.039 ) , and for clinical variables , laboratory examinations , and background therapies ( P = 0.038 ) . CONCLUSION This study shows that there is some evidence of a beneficial effect of rosuvastatin in terms of reduction of AF occurrence in patients with HF . Larger population s are needed to provide a definite answer to the question . Clinical Trials.gov Identifier : NCT00336336
SUMMARY The use of statins was significantly associated with a decreased risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with sinus rhythm .
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Whether statins may prevent  atrial fibrillation  remains a subject of debate .