The Dry Pipeline of Antiarrhythmic Therapies
Authors: Amnon Schlegel
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2005)

Letters17 May 2005The Dry Pipeline of Antiarrhythmic TherapiesAmnon Schlegel, MD, PhDAmnon Schlegel, MD, PhDFrom University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94121.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-142-10-200505170-00017 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Zimetbaum and Josephson (1) are confident that “new approaches to drug development and screening for risk for adverse events may ultimately reduce the toxicity of [antiarrhythmic] agents.” Unfortunately, this optimism has fallen on deaf ears in the pharmaceutical industry: The only “new” drugs to treat atrial fibrillation are dofetilide, ibutilide, and azimilide (2, 3). These class III antiarrhythmic agents, far from being bold breakthroughs in the management of atrial fibrillation, are “niche” players (2) whose long-term efficacy and toxicity are matters of speculation (3).The remaining antiarrhythmic agents that Zimetbaum and Josephson advocate for patients in whom ...References1. Zimetbaum P, Josephson ME. Is there a role for maintaining sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation? Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:720-6. [PMID: 15520430] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Singh BN, Sarma JS. What niche will newer class III antiarrhythmic drugs occupy? Curr Cardiol Rep. 2001;3:314-23. [PMID: 11406090] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Naccarelli GV, Wolbrette DL, Bhatta L, Khan M, Hynes J, Samii S, et al. A review of clinical trials assessing the efficacy and safety of newer antiarrhythmic drugs in atrial fibrillation. J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2003;9:215-22. [PMID: 14574034] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Wyse DG, Waldo AL, DiMarco JP, Domanski MJ, Rosenberg Y, Schron EB, et al. A comparison of rate control and rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:1825-33. [PMID: 12466506] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Marshall DA, Levy AR, Vidaillet H, Fenwick E, Slee A, Blackhouse G, et al. Cost-effectiveness of rhythm versus rate control in atrial fibrillation. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:653-61. [PMID: 15520421] LinkGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94121.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoIs There a Role for Maintaining Sinus Rhythm in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation? Peter Zimetbaum and Mark E. Josephson Cost-Effectiveness of Rhythm versus Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation Deborah A. Marshall , Adrian R. Levy , Humberto Vidaillet , Elisabeth Fenwick , April Slee , Gordon Blackhouse , H. Leon Greene , D. George Wyse , Graham Nichol , Bernie J. O'Brien , and Metrics 17 May 2005Volume 142, Issue 10Page: 871KeywordsArrhythmiaAtrial fibrillationConflicts of interestDrug regulationDrug screeningDrug therapyDrugsPatient advocacyToxic agentsToxicity ePublished: 17 May 2005 Issue Published: 17 May 2005 CopyrightCopyright © 2005 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...