Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy inhibits the progression from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation to chronic atrial fibrillation.
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| Abstract | BACKGROUND:
Atrial fibrillation is a progressive disease, which in the paroxysmal form (PAF) becomes more frequent and finally becomes chronic (CAF). A retrospective analysis of patients with PAF was conducted to examine the hypothesis that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) will prevent the progression to CAF. METHODS AND RESULTS: On the basis of their treatment, 95 patients with PAF were divided into 2 groups: 42 patients treated with ACEI for hypertension throughout the period of treatment and follow-up (ACEI group) and 53 patients not given ACEI (non-ACEI group). Cardiac rhythms were assessed either from the medical records or the electrocardiograms recorded every 2-4 weeks at follow-up visits. The mean follow-up time was 8.3+/-3.5 years. There was no significant difference in the use of antiarrhythmic drugs, left atrial diameter or left ventricular ejection fraction between the 2 groups. The Kaplan-Meier curve for the time to occurrence of CAF showed a lower incidence of CAF in the ACEI group and demonstrated that the 5-year probability for persistence of PAF without progression to CAF was 88.3%, but 47.5% in the non-ACEI group. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that ACEI will prevent progression from PAF to CAF.
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| Authors | Yoshiyuki Hirayama, Hirotsugu Atarashi, Yoshinori Kobayashi, Tsutomu Horie, Yuuki Iwasaki, Mitsunori Maruyama, Yasushi Miyauchi, Toshihiko Ohara, Masaaki Yashima, Teruo Takano |
| Journal | Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society (Circ J) Vol. 69 Issue 6 Pg. 671-6 (Jun 2005) ISSN: 1346-9843 [Print] Japan |
| PMID | 15914944 (Publication Type: Journal Article) |
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