[Medication reducing therapy of atrial fibrillation: a new approach to an old problem].
OBJECTIVE
To study influence of different rate-reducing medicine groups on atrial electrical activity and ventricular thyrhms structure in chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) and thus to optimize treatment.


METHODS
57 patients with CAF treated with digitalis, beta-blockers, their combinations, verapamil, amiodaron and sotalol were studied. Repeatedly highly-resolution ECG analysis was made.


RESULTS
Atrial fibrillation is characterized by ff-waves basic period from 0.12 s to 0.20 s. Ventricular characteristics were determined both by AV conduction and basic ff-waves periods. The reducing of basic ff-period is the leading mechanism of digitalis rate-reducing actions in typical cases. The direct AV block appears on the late stage of therapy and is moderate.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined therapy by medicines with different mechanisms of rate-reducing actions is the most efficient. The choice of the drug and its doses is determined by basic ff-waves periods value and the ventricular rhythm structure.
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
Medikamentoznaia urezhaiushchaia terapiia pri mertsatel'noĭ aritmii: novyĭ podkhod k staroĭ probleme.