Atrial Fibrillation
Conditions
Keywords
atrial fibrillation, electrical cardioversion, pharmacological cardioversion
Brief summary
The optimal strategy to restore sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) of less than 48 hours' duration is still controversial. The investigators performed a controlled single-center trial to compare electrical and pharmacological (propafenone) cardioversion to restore the sinus rhythm in selected patients with acute atrial fibrillation.
Interventions
PROCEDUREelectrical cardioversion
External cardioversion was performed in anteroposterior position (right sternal body at the third intercostal space-angle of the left scapula); patients were submitted to a biphasic wave-form sequential shock of 100-150-200 J, if necessary.
DRUGpropafenone
Propafenone (2 mg/kg bolus) was administered to obtain pharmacolgic sinus rhythm conversion.
Sponsors
Valduce Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* atrial fibrillation of less than 48 hours' duration.
Exclusion criteria
* AF of more than 48 hours' * hemodynamic instability * acute onset atrial fibrillation due to acute coronary syndrome * electrolyte disturbances * sepsis * fever * hypothermia * untreated hyperthyroidism * use of antiarrhythmic drugs * high embolic risk * unclear duration of symptoms
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Efficacy of intervention (Electrical and pharmacological cardioversion) in restoring sinus rythm | during emergency department stay |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Number of adverse events related to electrical and pharmacological cardioversion | during emergency department stay |
| recurrence of atrial fibrillation | within 2 months |
Countries
Italy
Outcome results
None listed