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Previous Volume 351:2384-2391 December 2, 2004 Number 23 Next

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ABSTRACT

Background In-hospital administration of flecainide and propafenone in a single oral loading dose has been shown to be effective and superior to placebo in terminating atrial fibrillation. We evaluated the feasibility and the safety of self-administered oral loading of flecainide and propafenone in terminating atrial fibrillation of recent onset outside the hospital.

Methods We administered either flecainide or propafenone orally to restore sinus rhythm in 268 patients with mild heart disease or none who came to the emergency room with atrial fibrillation of recent onset that was hemodynamically well tolerated. Of these patients, 58 (22 percent) were excluded from the study because of treatment failure or side effects. Out-of-hospital self-administration of flecainide or propafenone — the "pill-in-the-pocket" approach — after the onset of heart palpitations was evaluated in the remaining 210 patients (mean age [±SD], 59±11 years).

Results During a mean follow-up of 15±5 months, 165 patients (79 percent) had a total of 618 episodes of arrhythmia; of those episodes, 569 (92 percent) were treated 36±93 minutes after the onset of symptoms. Treatment was successful in 534 episodes (94 percent); the time to resolution of symptoms was 113±84 minutes. Among the 165 patients with recurrences, the drug was effective during all the arrhythmic episodes in 139 patients (84 percent). Adverse effects were reported during one or more arrhythmic episodes by 12 patients (7 percent), including atrial flutter at a rapid ventricular rate in 1 patient and noncardiac side effects in 11 patients. The numbers of monthly visits to the emergency room and hospitalizations were significantly lower during follow-up than during the year before the target episode (P<0.001 for both comparisons).

Conclusions In a selected, risk-stratified population of patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation, pill-in-the-pocket treatment is feasible and safe, with a high rate of compliance by patients, a low rate of adverse events, and a marked reduction in emergency room visits and hospital admissions.

Source Information

From the Divisions of Cardiology, Ospedale Civile, Cento (P.A., L.G.); Ospedale S. Anna, Como (G.L.B., M.L.); Ospedale SS. Annunziata, Taranto (N.B., V.R.); Ospedale del Delta, Lagosanto (P.M.); Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia (M.C.); Ospedali Riuniti, Lavagna (A.S.); Ospedale Galmarini, Tradate (R.B.); and Ospedale Civile, Sampierdarena (G.G.) — all in Italy.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Alboni at the Division of Cardiology, Ospedale Civile, I-44042 Cento, Italy, or at p.alboni{at}ausl.fe.it.

Full Text of this Article

Related Letters:

The "Pill-in-the-Pocket" Approach to Atrial Fibrillation
Grönefeld G. C., Hohnloser S. H., Konety S. H., Olshansky B., Wittkowsky A. K., Alboni P., Botto G. I., Baldi N.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2005; 352:1150-1151, Mar 17, 2005. Correspondence

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