High dose of amiodarone in a short-term period reduces the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether oral amiodarone administered before surgery for a short period in high dose would reduce the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter and reduces the length of hospital stay.


METHODS
In the double-blind, randomized study, 93 patients were given either oral amiodarone (46 patients) or placebo (47 patients). Therapy consisted of 600 mg of amiodarone three times a day, started at minimum 30 hours and at maximum 56 hours before surgery.


RESULTS
Postoperative atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter occurred in 8 of 46 patients in the amiodarone group (17.4%) and 19 of the 47 patients in the placebo group (40.4%) (p=0.027). The mean dose of amiodarone was 2.8 g. Patients in the amiodarone group were hospitalized for 8.9+/-3.1 days and patients in the placebo group were hospitalized for 11.4+/-8.7 days (p=0.07). The hospital length were significantly prolonged in patients who developed atrial arrhythmias after surgery, despite the treatment received.(p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This new alternative way of using amiodarone in high dose and in a short-term period before surgery reduce the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter in coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Alcalde
Rafael Vieira
RV
Hospital São Lucas da PUCRS e Programa de Pós-Graduação da Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. alcalde@cardiol.br
Guaragna
João Carlos
JC
Bodanese
Luiz Carlos
LC
Castro
Iran
I
Sussenbach
Eliana
E
Noer
Roberta
R
Goldani
Marco Antônio
MA
Feier
Flávia
F
Petracco
João Batista
JB
D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000638:Amiodarone