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CLINICAL STUDIES

Favorable effects of flecainide in transvenous internal cardioversion of atrial fibrillation

^a Institute of Cardiology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
^* In Control Inc., Redmond, Washington, USA

Manuscript received January 23, 1998; revised manuscript received August 25, 1998, accepted October 2, 1998.

Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Giuseppe Boriani, Institute of Cardiology, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
cardio1{at}almadns.unibo.it

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.

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