著者

Shinobu Imai Fumio Saito Hidehito Takase Mitsunobu Enomoto Hiroshi Aoyama Satoshi Yamaji Katsuaki Yokoyama Hiroshi Yagi Toshio Kushiro Atsushi Hirayama

出版者

日本循環器学会

雑誌

Circulation Journal (ISSN:13469843)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.72, no.5, pp.709-715, 2008 (Released:2008-04-25)

参考文献数

21

被引用文献数

6 11

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Background It has been reported that bepridil is as good as amiodarone in converting persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) to sinus rhythm (SR). The conversion effect of bepridil alone is not always satisfactory, however. The efficacy of pharmacological cardioversion by the combination of bepridil and a class Ic antiarrhythmic drug for persistent AF is studied. Methods and Results The participants comprised 37 consecutive patients in whom pharmacological cardioversion was conducted to treat persistent AF (duration 22.5±29.6 months). Each patient first received a class Ia or Ic antiarrhythmic drug, then bepridil alone, then a combined therapy of bepridil at 200 mg/day with a class Ic antiarrhythmic drug at a routine dose. Unaccompanied use of any of the antiarrhythmic drugs achieved pharmacological cardioversion in 14 (38%) of the 37 patients (single therapy group), whereas SR was restored by combination of bepridil and a class Ic antiarrhythmic drug in 22 (combined therapy group) of the remaining 23 patients. The duration of AF was significantly longer in the combined therapy group than in the single therapy group (28.3±31.0 vs 7.3±4.1 months). Conclusion Combined therapy of bepridil and a class Ic antiarrhythmic drug is efficient for pharmacological cardioversion of refractory long-lasting persistent AF. (Circ J 2008; 72: 709 - 715)