[Nibentan in arresting acute atrial fibrillation: risk or benefit?].

Abstract

AIM:

To study efficacy and safety of using a domestic anti-arrhythmic drug nibentan for arresting acute atrial fibrillation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

A total of 210 patients received nibentan in a dose 0.125 mg/kg dissolved in 20.0 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution by intravenous slow jet 3-min injection. In no response, the injection was repeated 20 min later. Nibentan injection was accompanied with continuous ECG monitoring, measurements of QT interval, arterial pressure. The criterion of efficacy was atrial fibrillation conversion into the sinus rhythm within 24 hours after injection of a total nibentan dose.

RESULTS:

Nibentan in a dose 0.125 mg/kg demonstrated high efficacy (91.9%) and sufficient safety (incidence of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia 2.4%) including patients taking other antiarrhythmic drugs. A basic marker of an electrophysiological effect of nibentan on the myocardium is a dynamic change in the interval QT which may serve a predictor of sinus rhythm reestablishment (in QT > or =480 ms) and of a risk to develop proarrhythmogenic complications (in QT > or =640 ms).

• Authors: A V Chapurnykh, O V Solov'ev, A V Zavalin, E G Pavlov, D N Efremov
• Journal: Terapevticheskii arkhiv (Ter Arkh) Vol. 80 Issue 1 Pg. 41-5 ( 2008) ISSN: 0040-3660 [Print] Russia (Federation)
• PMID: 18326226 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Benzamides
• nibentan

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Atrial Fibrillation (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Benzamides (administration & dosage)
• Blood Pressure
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Electrocardiography
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Heart Rate (drug effects)
• Humans
• Injections, Intravenous
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Treatment Outcome