title: The management of patients with atrial fibrillation and dronedarone's place in therapy.
abstract: The pharmacologic management of atrial fibrillation (AF) includes rate and rhythm control strategies. Antiarrhythmic agents (eg, amiodarone, flecainide, and propafenone) are limited by serious toxicities (including proarrhythmic effects and pulmonary toxicity), which may lead to a reduced net clinical efficacy of rhythm control strategies. Dronedarone, a new antiarrhythmic agent, is effective in the maintenance of sinus rhythm. Dronedarone has also been shown to reduce ventricular rate and the incidence of hospitalization due to cardiovascular events. Dronedarone is recommended by the 2011 American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society guidelines update for the management of AF patients with no or minimal heart disease, coronary artery disease, and hypertension with no left ventricular hypertrophy. Dronedarone is contraindicated in patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV heart failure or NYHA class II-III heart failure with a recent decompensation requiring hospitalization or referral to a specialized heart failure clinic.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Cath Laboratory, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, NJ 07112, USA. marcohen@barnabashealth.org
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Catalin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boiangiu
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D000077764:Dronedarone; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D000077764:Dronedarone; D000638:Amiodarone