Effectiveness of amiodarone as a single oral dose for recent-onset atrial fibrillation

The efficacy of amiodarone has been proved in longterm maintenance of sinus rhythm (SR) in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), The pres ent study evaluates the efficacy and safety of a single oral dose of amioda rone in patients with recent-onset AF (<48 hours). Seventy-two patients wer e randomized to receive 30 mg/kg of either amiodarone or placebo. Conversio n to SR was verified by 24-hour Holter monitoring. Ten patients were exclud ed because of SR in the beginning of monitoring or technical failure during Holter monitoring. The remaining study groups were comparable (n = 31 for each), except that in the placebo group beta blockers were more common. The patients receiving amiodarone converted to SR more effectively than those receiving placebo (p <0.0001). At 8 hours, approximately 50% of patients in the amiodarone group and 20% in the placebo group (Holter successful) had converted to SR, whereas after 24 hours the corresponding figures were 87% and 35%, respectively. The median time for conversion (8.7 hours for amioda rone and 7.9 hours for placebo) did not differ in the groups. Amiodarone wa s hemodynamically well tolerated, and the number of adverse events in the s tudy groups was similar. Amiodorone as a single oral dose of 30 mg/kg appea rs to be effective and safe in patients with recent-onset AF. (C) 2000 by E xcerpta Medico, Inc.