title: Challenging the superiority of amiodarone for rate control in Wolff-Parkinson-White and atrial fibrillation.
abstract: The objective of this review is to explore and challenge the superiority of amiodarone for rate control in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and concomitant atrial fibrillation (WPW-AF). The current recommendation for pharmacological treatment of this condition is amiodarone. A review of the past 25 years of literature finds several studies that identify a small risk of ventricular fibrillation secondary to amiodarone administration for rate control in WPW-AF. Additionally, the literature supports the safe and effective use of procainamide for rate control in WPW-AF. This review concludes that amiodarone is not superior to procainamide in rate control for WPW-AF, and may be dangerous.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, 101 The City Drive, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
authors.forename: Sharis M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Simonian
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lotfipour
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.forename: Mark I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Langdorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011342:Procainamide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D011342:Procainamide; D000638:Amiodarone