Drug therapy of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in the elderly over 75 years old.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effectiveness and safety of various agents on paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in the elderly over 75 years old.


METHODS
Totally 264 in-patients (75-91 years old, 185 males and 79 females) with atrial fibrillation history of less than 7 days were enrolled in this study. A total of 611 atrial fibrillation episodes were recorded, but 130 episodes (22.3%) of atrial fibrillation were auto-converted to sinus rhythm. The rest 481 episodes of atrial fibrillation were divided into six groups based on the drug used.


RESULTS
The cardioversion ratio of atrial fibrillation were 9.5%, 46.9%, 71.7%, 55.9%, 32.7%, and 73.6% in control, cedilanid, amiodarone, propafenone, verapamil, and quinidine groups, respectively. Ventricular rate control were 5.4%, 83.6%, 84.9%, 77.9%, 78.8%, and 11.3% in those groups, respectively. The total effective rates of amiodarone and cedilanid groups were the highest. When the ventricular rate was controlled to below 90 bpm, the patients would almost complain of no discomfort. No severe side-effect was observed in each group.


CONCLUSIONS
Amiodarone and cedilanid may be the proper drugs for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in the elderly. The above antiarrhythmics in each therapeutic group were relatively safe and effective.
Chen
De-you
DY
Department of Outpatient, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853. calvin301@163.com
Cao
Jian
J
Zhu
Bing-po
BP
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000139:chemically induced; D002301:Cardiac Glycosides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007799:Lanatosides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D011405:Propafenone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002301:Cardiac Glycosides; D007799:Lanatosides; C018548:lanatoside C; D011405:Propafenone; D000638:Amiodarone