| Summary: | The most common cardiac arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation. In most patients it is not the only heart disease. The main goal of therapy is to maintain a normal heart rhythm. This can be achieved by restoring the sinus rhythm or by controlling the ventricle response. The anticoagulation therapy may be needed to reduce the risk of tromboembolism. Several arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation can be treated by a catheter ablation. This method is highly successful in treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias. The long-therm treatment of ventricular arrhythmias may require implantation of a cardioverter-defibrilator. Serious bradycardias are treated by permanent cardiac stimulation. The efficacy of pharmacologic treatment can be proved only in a clinical trial. Methods of preclinical identification of proarrhythmogenic substances are quite limited. Electrophysiology, drug effects, effects of genetic polymorphism can be studied mostly on models and preparations. Use of antiarrhythmics from groups IA and IB of the Vaughan Williams classification is now limited. Besides the beta blockers used in various indications, the antiarrhythmics from group III are most often used. It is likely that a new drug, dronedarone will be approved for treatment of atrial fibrillation. Positive effect on mortality, and in...
|
|---|
