Update on the clinical management of atrial fibrillation: Guidelines and beyond

Postgraduate Medicine

Volumn 123, Issue 6, 2011, Pages 7-20

  Curtis, Anne B ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO   (United States)

Author keywords

Atrial fibrillation; Cardioversion; Dronedarone; Prevention; Stroke; Warfarin

Indexed keywords

ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID; AMIODARONE; ANTICOAGULANT AGENT; ANTIVITAMIN K; APIXABAN; BETA ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR BLOCKING AGENT; CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKING AGENT; CLOPIDOGREL; DABIGATRAN; DIGOXIN; DOFETILIDE; DRONEDARONE; FLECAINIDE; GLUCOCORTICOID; IRBESARTAN; PLACEBO; PROPAFENONE; RIVAROXABAN; SOTALOL; VERNAKALANT; WARFARIN;

ABLATION THERAPY; AGED; ARTICLE; ASTHMA; BLEEDING; BRADYCARDIA; BRAIN ISCHEMIA; CARDIOLOGY; CARDIOVERSION; CLINICAL PRACTICE; COMORBIDITY; CONTROLLED STUDY; DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS; DISEASE CLASSIFICATION; DISEASE EXACERBATION; DRUG EFFICACY; DRUG MECHANISM; DRUG POTENTIATION; EXERCISE; FATIGUE; FEMALE; HEART ATRIUM FIBRILLATION; HEART RATE; HEART RHYTHM; HIGH RISK PATIENT; HUMAN; HYPERTENSION; HYPOTENSION; LIVER TOXICITY; LUNG TOXICITY; MALE; MEDICAL SOCIETY; MORTALITY; PATIENT COMPLIANCE; PHOTOSENSITIVITY; PRACTICE GUIDELINE; PREVALENCE; PROPHYLAXIS; QT PROLONGATION; QUALITY OF LIFE; RISK FACTOR; RISK REDUCTION; SKIN DISCOLORATION; STROKE;

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION; ANTI-ARRHYTHMIA AGENTS; ANTICOAGULANTS; ATRIAL FIBRILLATION; CATHETER ABLATION; ELECTRIC COUNTERSHOCK; HUMANS; PRACTICE GUIDELINES AS TOPIC; RISK; SOCIETIES, MEDICAL; STROKE; UNITED STATES;

EID: 82255162178     PISSN: 00325481     EISSN: 19419260     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.3810/pgm.2011.11.2491     Document Type: Article

References (105)

1. Go AS, Hylek EM, Phillips KA, et al. Prevalence of diagnosed atrial fibrillation in adults: national implications for rhythm management and stroke prevention: the AnTicoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA) Study. JAMA. 2001;285(18):2370-2375.
2. Fuster V, Ryden LE, Cannom DS, et al. 2011 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused updates incorporated into the ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 Guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines developed in partnership with the European Society of Cardiology and in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association and the Heart Rhythm Society. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57(11): e101-e198.
3. Naccarelli GV, Varker H, Lin J, Schulman KL. Increasing prevalence of atrial fibrillation and flutter in the United States. Am J Cardiol. 2009;104(11):1534-1539.
4. Chugh SS, Blackshear JL, Shen WK, Hammill SC, Gersh BJ. Epidemiology and natural history of atrial fibrillation: clinical implications. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37(2):371-378.
5. Bajpai A, Savelieva I, Camm AJ. Treatment of atrial fibrillation. Br Med Bull. 2008;88(1):75-94.
6. Wolf PA, Abbott RD, Kannel WB. Atrial fibrillation as an independent risk factor for stroke: the Framingham Study. Stroke. 1991;22(8):983-988.
7. Dorian P, Mangat I, Pinter A, Korley V. The burden of atrial fibrillation: should we abandon antiarrhythmic drug therapy? J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2004;9(4):257-262.
8. Valderrama AL, Dunbar SB, Mensah GA. Atrial fibrillation: public health implications. Am J Prev Med. 2005;29(5 suppl 1):75-80.
9. Bradley DJ, Shen WK. Overview of management of atrial fibrillation in symptomatic elderly patients: pharmacologic therapy versus AV node ablation. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2007;81(2):284-287.
10. Wann LS, Curtis AB, January CT, et al; ACCF/AHA Task Force Members. 2011 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused update on the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (updating the 2006 guideline): a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2011;123(1):104-123.
11. European Heart Rhythm Association; European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery; Camm AJ, Kirchhof P, Lip GY, et al. Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation: The Task Force for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J. 2010;31(19):2369-2429.
12. Canadian Cardiovascular Society 2010 Atrial Fibrillation Guidelines. 2010. http://www.ccsguidelineprograms.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view =article&id=112%3Aafib-executive-summary&catid=50&Itemid=66. Accessed July 13, 2011.
13. The National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions. Atrial Fibrillation National Clinical Guideline for Management in Primary and Secondary Care. London, UK: Royal College of Physicians; 2006.
14. Snow V, Weiss KB, LeFevre M, et al. Management of newly detected atrial fibrillation: a clinical practice guideline from the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2003;139(12):1009-1017.
15. Kim MH, Lin J, Hussein M, Battleman D. Incidence and temporal pattern of hospital readmissions for patients with atrial fibrillation. Curr Med Res Opin. 2009;25(5):1215-1220.
16. Kim MH, Klingman D, Lin J, Battleman DS. Patterns and predictors of discontinuation of rhythm-control drug therapy in patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation. Pharmacotherapy. 2009;29(12):1417-1426.
17. Lip GY, Tse HF. Management of atrial fibrillation. Lancet. 2007;370(9587):604-618.
18. Bjerregaard P, Bailey WB, Robinson SE. Rate control in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. Am J Cardiol. 2004;93(3):329-332.
19. Camm J. Medical management of atrial fibrillation: state of the art. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2006;17(suppl 2):S2-S6.
20. Fang MC, Chen J, Rich MW. Atrial fibrillation in the elderly. Am J Med. 2007;120(6):481-487.
21. Dell'Orfano JT, Patel H, Wolbrette DL, Luck JC, Naccarelli GV. Acute treatment of atrial fibrillation: spontaneous conversion rates and cost of care. Am J Cardiol. 1999;83(5):788-790, A10.
22. Danias PG, Caulfield TA, Weigner MJ, Silverman DI, Manning WJ. Likelihood of spontaneous conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1998;31(3):588-592.
23. Naccarelli GV, Wolbrette DL, Khan M, et al. Old and new antiarrhythmic drugs for converting and maintaining sinus rhythm in atrial fibrillation: comparative efficacy and results of trials. Am J Cardiol. 2003;91(6A):15D-26D.
24. Cairns JA, Connolly S, McMurtry S, Stephenson M, Talajic M; CCS Atrial Fibrillation Guidelines Committee. Canadian Cardiovascular Society Atrial Fibrillation Guidelines 2010: prevention of stroke and systemic thromboembolism in atrial fibrillation and flutter. Can J Cardiol. 2011;27(1):74-90.
25. Flaker GC, Belew K, Beckman K, et al. Asymptomatic atrial fibrillation: demographic features and prognostic information from the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) study. Am Heart J. 2005;149(4):657-663.
26. Krahn AD, Manfreda J, Tate RB, Mathewson FA, Cuddy TE. The natural history of atrial fibrillation: incidence, risk factors, and prognosis in the Manitoba Follow-Up Study. Am J Med. 1995;98(5):476-484.
27. Kimura K, Minematsu K, Yamaguchi T. Atrial fibrillation as a predictive factor for severe stroke and early death in 15,831 patients with acute ischaemic stroke. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2005;76(5):679-683.
28. Hart RG, Pearce LA, Aguilar MI. Meta-analysis: antithrombotic therapy to prevent stroke in patients who have nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Ann Intern Med. 2007;146(12):857-867.
29. Padanilam BJ, Prystowsky EN. Atrial fibrillation: goals of therapy and management strategies to achieve the goals. Cardiol Clin. 2009;27(1):189-200.
30. Lip GY, Frison L, Halperin JL, Lane DA. Comparative validation of a novel risk score for predicting bleeding risk in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation: the HAS-BLED (Hypertension, Abnormal Renal/Liver Function, Stroke, Bleeding History or Predisposition, Labile INR, Elderly, Drugs/Alcohol Concomitantly) score. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57(2):173-180.
31. Fang MC, Go AS, Chang Y, et al. A new risk scheme to predict warfarin-associated hemorrhage. The ATRIA (Anticoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation) Study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;58(4):395-401.
32. Thosani AJ, Xiong Y, Lin J, Kothawala P, Zimetbaum PJ. Are atrial fibrillation patients receiving anticoagulation in accordance with their stroke risk? Abstract PO06-60. Presented at the Heart Rhythm Society; May 13-16, 2009; Boston, MA.
33. Brass LM, Krumholz HM, Scinto JM, Radford M. Warfarin use among patients with atrial fibrillation. Stroke. 1997;28(12):2382-2389.
34. Bungard TJ, Ghali WA, Teo KK, McAlister FA, Tsuyuki RT. Why do patients with atrial fibrillation not receive warfarin? Arch Intern Med. 2000;160(1):41-46.
35. Cohen N, Almoznino-Sarafian D, Alon I, et al. Warfarin for stroke prevention still underused in atrial fibrillation: patterns of omission. Stroke. 2000;31(6):1217-1222.
36. Flaker GC, McGowan DJ, Boechler M, Fortune G, Gage B. Underutilization of antithrombotic therapy in elderly rural patients with atrial fibrillation. Am Heart J. 1999;137(2):307-312.
37. Gage BF, Boechler M, Doggette AL, et al. Adverse outcomes and predictors of underuse of antithrombotic therapy in Medicare beneficiaries with chronic atrial fibrillation. Stroke. 2000;31(4):822-827.
38. Leckey R, Aguilar EG, Phillips SJ. Atrial fibrillation and the use of warfarin in patients admitted to an acute stroke unit. Can J Cardiol. 2000;16(4):481-485.
39. McCormick D, Gurwitz JH, Goldberg RJ, et al. Prevalence and quality of warfarin use for patients with atrial fibrillation in the long-term care setting. Arch Intern Med. 2001;161(20):2458-2463.
40. Samsa GP, Matchar DB, Goldstein LB, et al. Quality of anticoagulation management among patients with atrial fibrillation: results of a review of medical records from 2 communities. Arch Intern Med. 2000;160(7):967-973.
41. Scott PA, Pancioli AM, Davis LA, Frederiksen SM, Eckman J. Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and antithrombotic prophylaxis in emergency department patients. Stroke. 2002;33(11):2664-2669.
42. Hylek EM, Go AS, Chang Y, et al. Effect of intensity of oral anticoagulation on stroke severity and mortality in atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2003;349(11):1019-1026.
43. ACTIVE Writing Group of the ACTIVE Investigators; Connolly S, Pogue J, Hart R, et al. Clopidogrel plus aspirin versus oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in the Atrial fibrillation Clopidogrel Trial with Irbesartan for prevention of Vascular Events (ACTIVE W): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2006;367(9526):1903-1912.
44. ACTIVE Investigators; Connolly SJ, Pogue J, Hart RG, et al. Effect of clopidogrel added to aspirin in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(20):2066-2078.
45. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA approves Pradaxa to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. 2010. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm230241.htm. Accessed July 13, 2011.
46. Wann LS, Curtis AB, Ellenbogen KA, et al. 2011 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused update on the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (update on dabigatran): A report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2011;123(10):1144-1150.
47. Pradaxa [package insert]. Ridgefield, CT: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2010.
48. Connolly SJ, Ezekowitz MD, Yusuf S, et al; RE-LY Steering Committee and Investigators. Dabigatran versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2009;361(12):1139-1151.
49. Eikelboom JW, Wallentin L, Connolly SJ, et al. Risk of bleeding with 2 doses of dabigatran compared with warfarin in older and younger patients with atrial fibrillation: an analysis of the randomized evaluation of long-term anticoagulant therapy (RE-LY) trial. Circulation. 2011;123(21):2363-2372.
50. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. FDA approves XARELTO (rivaroxaban tablets) to help prevent deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery [press release]. July 1, 2011. http://www.janssenpharmaceuticalsinc.com/assets/xareltopressrelease.pdf. Accessed July 13, 2011.
51. Patel MR, Mahaffey KW, Garg J, et al; ROCKET AF Investigators. Rivaroxaban versus warfarin in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2011;365(10):883-891.
52. Connolly SJ, Eikelboom J, Joyner C, et al; AVERROES Steering Committee and Investgators. Apixaban in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2011;364(9):806-817.
53. Granger CB, Alexander JH, McMurray JJ, et al; ARISTOTLE Committees and Investigators. Apixaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2011;365(11):981-992.
54. Jenkins SM, Dunn FG. Key issues in the management of atrial fibrillation-protecting the patient and controlling the arrhythmia. Scott Med J. 2007;52(3):27-35.
55. Hart RG, Pearce LA, McBride R, Rothbart RM, Asinger RW. Factors associated with ischemic stroke during aspirin therapy in atrial fibrillation: analysis of 2012 participants in the SPAF I-III clinical trials. The Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation (SPAF) Investigators. Stroke. 1999;30(6):1223-1229.
56. Prudente LA. Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF): to treat the AF, be sure to treat the HF. Prog Cardiovasc Nurs. 2008;23(3):146-149.
57. Wang TJ, Larson MG, Levy D, et al. Temporal relations of atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure and their joint influence on mortality: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 2003;107(23):2920-2925.
58. Lip GY, Frison L, Halperin JL, Lane DA. Identifying patients at high risk for stroke despite anticoagulation: a comparison of contemporary stroke risk stratification schemes in an anticoagulated atrial fibrillation cohort. Stroke. 2010;41(12):2731-2738.
59. Olesen JB, Lip GY, Hansen ML, et al. Validation of risk stratification schemes for predicting stroke and thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation: nationwide cohort study. BMJ. 2011;342:d124.
60. Olesen JB, Lip GY, Lindhardsen J, et al. Risks of thromboembolism and bleeding with thromboprophylaxis in patients with atrial fibrillation: A net clinical benefit analysis using a 'real world' nationwide cohort study. Thromb Haemost. 2011;106(4):739-749.
61. Lee G. A review of the literature on atrial fibrillation: rate reversion or control? J Clin Nurs. 2007;16(1):77-83.
62. Carlsson J, Miketic S, Windeler J, et al; STAF Investigators. Randomized trial of rate-control versus rhythm-control in persistent atrial fibrillation: the Strategies of Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (STAF) study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;41(10):1690-1696.
63. Hohnloser SH, Kuck KH, Lilienthal J. Rhythm or rate control in atrial fibrillation-Pharmacological Intervention in Atrial Fibrillation (PIAF): a randomised trial. Lancet. 2000;356(9244):1789-1794.
64. Opolski G, Torbicki A, Kosior D, et al. Rhythm control versus rate control in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. Results of the HOT CAFE Polish Study. Kardiol Pol. 2003;59(7):1-16.
65. van Gelder I, Hagens VE, Bosker HA, et al; Rate Control versus Electrical Cardioversion for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Study Group. A comparison of rate control and rhythm control in patients with recurrent persistent atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2002;347(23):1834-1840.
66. Wyse DG, Waldo AL, DiMarco JP, et al; Atrial Fibrillation Followup Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) Investigators. A comparison of rate control and rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2002;347(23):1825-1833.
67. Singh BN, Singh SN, Reda DJ, et al; Sotalol Amiodarone Atrial Fibrillation Efficacy Trial (SAFE-T) Investigators. Amiodarone versus sotalol for atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2005;352(18):1861-1872.
68. Kim MH, Lin J, Hussein M, Battleman D. Incidence and economic burden of suspected adverse events and adverse event monitoring during AF therapy. Curr Med Res Opin. 2009;25(12):3037-3047.
69. Hawkins NM, Petrie MC, Macdonald MR, et al. Heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease the quandary of Beta-blockers and Beta-agonists. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57(21):2127-2138.
70. McCabe PJ, Geoffroy S. Atrial fibrillation: the newest frontier in arrhythmia management. Prog Cardiovasc Nurs. 2002;17(3):110-123, 141.
71. Roberts SA, Diaz C, Nolan PE, et al. Effectiveness and costs of digoxin treatment for atrial fibrillation and flutter. Am J Cardiol. 1993;72(7):567-573.
72. Tamariz LJ, Bass EB. Pharmacological rate control of atrial fibrillation. Cardiol Clin. 2004;22(1):35-45.
73. Farshi R, Kistner D, Sarma JS, Longmate JA, Singh BN. Ventricular rate control in chronic atrial fibrillation during daily activity and programmed exercise: a crossover open-label study of five drug regimens. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999;33(2):304-310.
74. Lafuente-Lafuente C, Mouly S, Longas-Tejero MA, Bergmann JF. Antiarrhythmics for maintaining sinus rhythm after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007;(4): CD005049.
75. Kochiadakis GE, Marketou ME, Igoumenidis NE, et al. Amiodarone, sotalol, or propafenone in atrial fibrillation: which is preferred to maintain normal sinus rhythm? Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2000;23(11 pt 2):1883-1887.
76. Ishak KJ, Proskorovsky I, Guo S, Lin J. Persistence with antiarrhythmics and the impact on atrial fibrillation-related outcomes. Am J Pharm Benefits. 2009;1(4):193-200.
77. Deedwania PC, Singh BN, Ellenbogen K, Fisher S, Fletcher R, Singh SN. Spontaneous conversion and maintenance of sinus rhythm by amiodarone in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation: observations from the Veterans Affairs Congestive Heart Failure Survival Trial of Antiarrhythmic Therapy (CHF-STAT). The Department of Veterans Affairs CHF-STAT Investigators. Circulation. 1998;98(23):2574-2579.
78. Pedersen OD, Bagger H, Keller N, Marchant B, Kober L, Torp-Pedersen C. Efficacy of dofetilide in the treatment of atrial fibrillationflutter in patients with reduced left ventricular function: a Danish investigations of arrhythmia and mortality on dofetilide (DIAMOND) substudy. Circulation. 2001;104(3):292-296.
79. Singh SN, Fletcher RD, Fisher SG, et al. Amiodarone in patients with congestive heart failure and asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmia. Survival Trial of Antiarrhythmic Therapy in Congestive Heart Failure. N Engl J Med. 1995;333(2):77-82.
80. Multaq [package insert]. Bridgewater, NJ: sanofi-aventis U. S. LLC; 2011.
81. Cordarone [package insert]. Philadelphia, PA: Wyeth Laboratories; 2004.
82. Laughlin JC, Kowey PR. Dronedarone: a new treatment for atrial fibrillation. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2008;19(11):1220-1226.
83. Hohnloser SH, Crijns HJ, van Eickels M, et al. Effect of dronedarone on cardiovascular events in atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(7):668-678.
84. Page RL, Connolly SJ, Crijns HJ, et al; ATHENA Investigators. Rhythm- and rate-controlling effects of dronedarone in patients with atrial fibrillation (from the ATHENA trial). Am J Cardiol. 2011;107(7):1019-1022.
85. Connolly SJ, Crijns HJ, Torp-Pedersen C, et al. Analysis of stroke in ATHENA: A placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-arm trial to assess the efficacy of dronedarone 400 mg BID for the prevention of cardiovascular hospitalization or death from any cause in patients with atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter. Circulation. 2009;120(13): 1174-1180.
86. Singh BN, Connolly SJ, Crijns HJ, et al; EURIDIS and ADONIS Investigators. Dronedarone for maintenance of sinus rhythm in atrial fibrillation or flutter. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(10):987-999.
87. Le Heuzey JY, De Ferrari GM, Radzik D, Santini M, Zhu J, Davy JM. A short-term, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dronedarone versus amiodarone in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: the DIONYSOS study. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2010;21(6):597-605.
88. Freemantle N, Lafuente-Lafuente C, Mitchell S, Eckert L, Reynolds M. Mixed treatment comparison of dronedarone, amiodarone, sotalol, flecainide and propafenone, for the management of atrial fibrillation. Europace. 2011;13(3):329-345.
89. US Food and Drug Administration; US Department of Health and Human Services. FDA Drug Safety Communication: Severe liver injury associated with the use of dronedarone (marketed as Multaq). 2011. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm240011.htm. Accessed July 13, 2011.
90. US Food and Drug Administration. Potential signals of serious risks/new safety information identified by the adverse event reporting system (AERS) between July-September 2010. 2010. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Surveil lance/AdverseDrugEffects/ucm237585.htm. Accessed March 21, 2011.
91. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices. QuarterWatch: 2010 Quarter 1. Monitoring MedWatch Reports. Signals for acetaminophen, dronedarone and botulinum toxin products [executive summary]. http://freepdfhosting.com/078147c86d.pdf. Published November 4, 2010. Accessed March 21, 2011.
92. Kober L, Torp-Pedersen C, McMurray JJ, et al. Increased mortality after dronedarone therapy for severe heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2008;358(25):2678-2687.
93. Sanofi-aventis initiates 10,000 patient study with Multaq® in permanent AF [press release]. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sanofi-aventis-initiates-10000-p atient-study-with-multaqr-in-permanent-af-93551119.html. Published May 12, 2010. Accessed July 13, 2011.
94. Sanofi provides Multaq phase IIIb PALLAS trial update [press release]. http://en.sanofi.com/binaries/20110707_PALLAS_en_tcm28-33021.pdf. Published July 7, 2011. Accessed July 13, 2011.
95. Cheng JW. Vernakalant in the management of atrial fibrillation. Ann Pharmacother. 2008;42(4):533-542.
96. Merck & Co Inc. Brinavess (vernakalant) for infusion approved in the European Union for rapid conversion of recent onset atrial fibrillation [press release]. 2010. http://www.merck.com/newsroom/news-release-archive/research-and-developm ent/2010_0901.html?WT.svl=content&WT.pi=content+Views. Published September 1, 2010. Accessed July 13, 2011.
97. Camm AJ, Capucci A, Hohnloser SH, et al. A randomized activecontrolled study comparing the efficacy and safety of vernakalant to amiodarone in recent-onset atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57(3):313-321.
98. Hsu LF, Jais P, Sanders P, et al. Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in congestive heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2004;351(23):2373-2383.
99. Piccini JP, Lopes RD, Kong MH, Hasselblad V, Jackson K, Al-Khatib SM. Pulmonary vein isolation for the maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2009;2(6):626-633.
100. Wilber DJ, Pappone C, Neuzil P. Comparison of antiarrhythmic drug therapy and radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2010;303(4):333-340.
101. Jais P, Packer DL. Ablation vs. drug use for atrial fibrillation. Eur Heart J. 2007;9(suppl G):G26-G34.
102. Cappato R, Calkins H, Chen SA, et al. Worldwide survey on the methods, efficacy, and safety of catheter ablation for human atrial fibrillation. Circulation. 2005;111(9):1100-1105.
103. Lee G, Sparks PB, Morton JB, et al. Low risk of major complications associated with pulmonary vein antral isolation for atrial fibrillation: results of 500 consecutive ablation procedures in patients with low prevalence of structural heart disease from a single center. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2011;22(2):163-168.
104. Smit MD, van Gelder IC. Upstream therapy of atrial fibrillation. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2009;7(7):763-778.
105. Dorian P, Singh BN. Upstream therapies to prevent atrial fibrillation. Eur Heart J. 2008;10(suppl H):H11-H31.