title: [Approach to the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Profile: Multicentric International Study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia that requires treatment, does not come out of the focus of researchers. Monitoring its prevalence and effects of therapy is a good guideline approach to the growing population of patients in which this arrhythmia occurs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of treatment of AF and cardiovascular profiles in the observed population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this observational, cross-sectional, multicenter, international study, 584 patients in 30 centers in Serbia and Slovenia, older than 18 years and with AF or in sinus rhythm with a history of AF, were included. The assessment of the efficacy of treatment of AF was performed by analyzing the frequency of adequate therapeutic effect of medication in rhythm or frequency control in patients with AF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results confirmed that the highest incidence of AF duration is more than seven days, and is accompanied by symptoms. Inadequate frequency regulation was registered at 8.9% of patients. Hypertension was registered in two-thirds of all patients, while other cardiovascular risk factors were registered in about one-third of patients. An echocardiographic finding in the group of patients with AF confirms generally adequate left ventricular function with a slightly enlarged left atrium (4.6±0.8 cm). Increasing age and time from the first episode of AF decreases the probability of maintaining sinus rhythm, while symptomatic AF had a positive impact on the presence of sinus rhythm. Propafenone, sotalol and amiodarone showed a statistically significant connection with a positive therapeutic response, while 3-blockers had a negative impact on the probability of establishing and maintaining sinus rhythm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Characteristics of therapeutic approaches, risks, comorbidity of patient populations in Slovenia and Serbia correspond to the fullest extent with the recommendations for good clinical practice, which further stresses the need for extensive measures in these regions.
authors.forename: Siniša U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Pavlović
authors.forename: Bratislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirćanski
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Radovanović
authors.forename: Srdjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raspopović
authors.forename: Velibor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.forename: Gabrijela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nikčević
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Živković
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milašinović
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011405:Propafenone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D055771:Serbia; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017524:Slovenia; D013015:Sotalol / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D011405:Propafenone; D013015:Sotalol; D000638:Amiodarone