title: Pharmacological management of atrial fibrillation: one, none, one hundred thousand.
abstract: atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a significant burden of morbidity and increased risk of mortality. Antiarrhythmic drug therapy remains a cornerstone to restore and maintain sinus rhythm for patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF based on current guidelines. However, conventional drugs have limited efficacy, present problematic risks of proarrhythmia and cause significant noncardiac organ toxicity. Thus, inadequacies in current therapies for atrial fibrillation have made new drug development crucial. New antiarrhythmic drugs and new anticoagulant agents have changed the current management of AF. This paper summarizes the available evidence regarding the efficacy of medications used for acute management of AF, rhythm and ventricular rate control, and stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and focuses on the current pharmacological agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart and Vessels, Careggi Hospital, Viale Morgagni 85, 50134 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lucà
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: La Meir
authors.forename: Carmelo Massimiliano
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Parise
authors.forename: Ludovico
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vasquez
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carella
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Daniela
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maessen
authors.forename: Gian Franco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gensini
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gelsomino