TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy and safety of sotalol in patients with refractory atrial fibrillation or flutter
AU - Gallik, D. M.
AU - Kim, S. G.
AU - Ferrick, K. J.
AU - Roth, J. A.
AU - Fisher, J. D.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Sotalol's usefulness in treatment of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter is unproven. This study evaluated (1) the efficacy of sotalol in preventing recurrences of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter and controlling ventricular rate (in chronic atrial fibrillation or relapse of paroxysmal atrial arrhythmias), (2) the safety of sotalol, ana (3) predictors of sotalol efficacy. Thirty-three patients, 28 with paroxysmal and five with chronic atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, received an average dose of 265 ± 119 mg of oral sotalol per day. During a 10 ± 12 month follow-up, recurrence rate for paroxysmal arrhythmia was 64%, with a 50% recurrence at 4.6 months. For patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, ventricular rates were well controlled with sotalol administration (136 ± 33 beats/min versus 88 ± 23 beats/min; p = 0.04). No patient with chronic atrial fibrillation converted to sinus rhythm during the study. Side effects necessitated sotalol discontinuation in three patients. By multi-variate analysis, younger age, higher ejection fraction, and absence of hypertension independently predicted sotalol efficacy.
AB - Sotalol's usefulness in treatment of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter is unproven. This study evaluated (1) the efficacy of sotalol in preventing recurrences of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter and controlling ventricular rate (in chronic atrial fibrillation or relapse of paroxysmal atrial arrhythmias), (2) the safety of sotalol, ana (3) predictors of sotalol efficacy. Thirty-three patients, 28 with paroxysmal and five with chronic atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, received an average dose of 265 ± 119 mg of oral sotalol per day. During a 10 ± 12 month follow-up, recurrence rate for paroxysmal arrhythmia was 64%, with a 50% recurrence at 4.6 months. For patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, ventricular rates were well controlled with sotalol administration (136 ± 33 beats/min versus 88 ± 23 beats/min; p = 0.04). No patient with chronic atrial fibrillation converted to sinus rhythm during the study. Side effects necessitated sotalol discontinuation in three patients. By multi-variate analysis, younger age, higher ejection fraction, and absence of hypertension independently predicted sotalol efficacy.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0002-8703(97)70118-2
DO - 10.1016/S0002-8703(97)70118-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 9313591
AN - SCOPUS:0030885578
SN - 0002-8703
VL - 134
SP - 155
EP - 160
JO - American heart journal
JF - American heart journal
IS - 2 I
ER -