Favorable effects of flecainide in transvenous internal cardioversion of atrial fibrillation

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology 1999-02, Vol.33 (2), p.333-341
• Main Authors: Boriani, Giuseppe, Biffi, Mauro, Capucci, Alessandro, Bronzetti, Gabriele, Ayers, Gregory M, Zannoli, Romano, Branzi, Angelo, Magnani, Bruno
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents - pharmacokinetics; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents - therapeutic use; Atrial Fibrillation - blood; Atrial Fibrillation - physiopathology; Atrial Fibrillation - therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiac Catheterization; Chronic Disease; Diseases of the cardiovascular system; Electric Countershock - methods; Electrocardiography; Female; Flecainide - administration & dosage; Flecainide - pharmacokinetics; Flecainide - therapeutic use; Follow-Up Studies; Heart Atria; Heart Rate; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Reproducibility of Results; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/S0735-1097(98)00577-4

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of intravenous (IV) flecainide on defibrillation energy requirements in patients treated with low-energy internal atrial cardioversion. Background Internal cardioversion of atrial fibrillation is becoming a more widely accepted therapy for acute episode termination and for implantable atrial defibrillators. Methods Twenty-four patients with atrial fibrillation (19 persistent, 5 paroxysmal) underwent elective transvenous cardioversion according to a step-up protocol. After successful conversion in a drug-free state, atrial fibrillation was induced by atrial pacing; IV flecainide (2 mg/kg) was administered and a second threshold was determined. In patients in whom cardioversion in a drug-free state failed notwithstanding a 400- to 550-V shock, a threshold determination was attempted after flecainide. Results Chronic persistent atrial fibrillation was converted in 13/19 (68%) patients at baseline and in 16/19 (84%) patients after flecainide. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was successfully cardioverted in all the patients. A favorable effect of flecainide was observed either in chronic persistent atrial fibrillation (13 patients) or in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (5 patients) with significant reductions in energy requirements for effective defibrillation (persistent atrial fibrillation: 4.42 ± 1.37 to 3.50 ± 1.51 J, p < 0.005; paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: 1.68 ± 0.29 to 0.84 ± 0.26 J, p < 0.01). In 14 patients not requiring sedation, the favorable effects of flecainide on defibrillation threshold resulted in a significant reduction in the scores of shock-induced discomfort (3.71 ± 0.83 vs. 4.29 ± 0.61, p < 0.005). No ventricular proarrhythmia was observed for any shock. Conclusions Intravenous flecainide reduces atrial defibrillation threshold in patients treated with low-energy internal atrial cardioversion. This reduction in threshold results in lower shock-induced discomfort. Additionally, flecainide may increase the procedure success rate in patients with chronic persistent atrial fibrillation.