title: Chemical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation with intravenous dofetilide.
abstract: We studied the effects of two active dose levels of dofetilide (8 and 12 micrograms/kg) and placebo in 16 patients with recent onset atrial fibrillation. The study was of a crossover design such that all patients received a therapeutic agent, 15 patients completed the study. Cardioversion was achieved in 2/6 patients receiving 8 micrograms/kg dofetilide and in 2/9 patients receiving 12 micrograms/kg. No patients cardioverted as a result of the placebo infusion. Two patients who cardioverted suffered episodes of torsades de pointes following the active drug. Electrical cardioversion was attempted in eight patients who remained in atrial fibrillation and was successful in six. The average duration of atrial fibrillation was 35 days in those who cardioverted and 83 days in those who did not. The compound appears to have only limited effect in cardioversion of atrial fibrillation of moderate duration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Cardiology, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sedgwick
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lip
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Rae
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cobbe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004554:Electric Countershock; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008875:Middle Aged; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D010627:Phenethylamines; D010919:Placebos; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D013449:Sulfonamides; C063533:dofetilide