title: Update on the management of atrial fibrillation: anticoagulation and medical therapy.
abstract: 2010 saw the introduction of dabigatran (Pradaxa; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, CT), following US Food and Drug Administration approval, into daily clinical practice in the United States as an alternative to Coumadin (Bristol-Myers-Squibb, New York, NY) therapy. Dronedarone (Multaq; Sanofi-Aventis, Bridgewater, NJ), originally approved for use in the United States in 2009, has seen further widespread deployment in contemporary clinical practice. Intravenous vernakalant (Cardiome Pharm, Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Merck & Co., Whitehouse Station, NJ) is being considered for approval in the United States and may serve as an alternative to current agents for safe and efficacious acute conversion from atrial fibrillation. We focus primarily on new information concerning these and other antiarrhythmic drug and anticoagulation therapies. We provide brief updates of recently published articles along with our perspective on how they will likely alter clinical practice now and in the future.
authors: Division of Cardiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Shueh Hao
authors: SH
authors: Lim
authors: Hugh
authors: H
authors: Calkins
authors: Sunil K
authors: SK
authors: Sinha
mesh_terms: D000638:Amiodarone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000840:Anisoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069604:Dabigatran; D000077764:Dronedarone; D017277:Drug Approval; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D065427:Factor Xa Inhibitors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D000840:Anisoles; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D065427:Factor Xa Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; D011759:Pyrrolidines; C524581:vernakalant; D000069604:Dabigatran; D000077764:Dronedarone; D000638:Amiodarone