We found that the size of the left atrium , presence of cardiovascular disease , and protocol s of amiodarone administration did not influence the magnitude of effect .
Serious adverse events were infrequent .
Amiodarone is effective for converting AF to sinus rhythm in a wide range of patients .
BACKGROUND Although clinicians sometimes choose amiodarone to convert atrial fibrillation ( AF ) to sinus rhythm , no current and comprehensive systematic review has summarized its effectiveness .
OBJECTIVE To review the effectiveness of amiodarone in converting AF to sinus rhythm over a 4-week period .
Conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm and rate control by digoxin in comparison to placebo.
AIMS A r and omized , double-blind study with a high dose of digoxin administered intravenously for conversion of atrial fibrillation ( not due to haemodynamic alternations ) to sinus rhythm , and for rate control in converters and non-converters was set up . Outcome measures were conversion within 12 h ; time to conversion ; early rate control ; and stable slowing within 12 h. METHODS We studied 40 patients with recent onset ( < 1 week ) atrial fibrillation ; controls received saline intravenously , the other patients digoxin 1.25 mg .  RESULTS One patient converted before digoxin administration . Conversion occurred in 9/19 patients on digoxin and in 8/20 on placebo ( ns ) . The mean time to conversion tended to be shorter only for digoxin . Two late conversions on placebo were observed within 24 h. Heart rate during atrial fibrillation decreased after 30 min for converters and non-converters ( P < 0.05 ) . For all patients on digoxin , heart rate after 30 min was lower compared to baseline ( P < 0.002 ) and to placebo ( P < 0.02 ) . Persistent , stable slowing occurred only in 3/10 non-converters on digoxin ( P < 0.05 ) , and two patients developed bradyarrhythmias . QTc was shortened immediately after conversion in all patients . Converters had baseline characteristics similar to those of non-converters . CONCLUSIONS Intravenous digoxin offers no substantial advantages over placebo in recent onset atrial fibrillation with respect to conversion , and provides weak rate control
We found that the size of the left atrium , presence of cardiovascular disease , and protocol s of amiodarone administration did not influence the magnitude of effect .
Serious adverse events were infrequent .
Amiodarone is effective for converting AF to sinus rhythm in a wide range of patients .
BACKGROUND Although clinicians sometimes choose amiodarone to convert atrial fibrillation ( AF ) to sinus rhythm , no current and comprehensive systematic review has summarized its effectiveness .
OBJECTIVE To review the effectiveness of amiodarone in converting AF to sinus rhythm over a 4-week period .