Skip Navigation

European Heart Journal 2002 23(13):1050-1056; doi:10.1053/euhj.2001.2986
Copyright © 2002 by the European Society of Cardiology.
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow References
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (13)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lumer, G.B
Right arrow Articles by Nattel, S
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lumer, G.B
Right arrow Articles by Nattel, S
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Amiodarone reduces procedures and costs related to atrial fibrillation in a controlled clinical trial

G.B Lumera, D Royb, M Talajicb, A Couturierc, J Lambertc, N Frasure-Smithd, B Thibaultb, M Dubucb, P Gagnéb and S Nattelb,f1

a Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
b Department of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
c Biostatistics Department, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
d Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

revised September 5, 2001; accepted September 6, 2001

Abstract

Background Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, and engenders significant health care costs. The impact of various treatment options for atrial fibrillation on hospital costs has not been evaluated in a randomized trial.

Methods We analysed 1-year follow-up data on 392 patients randomized to low dose amiodarone (200mg.day–1) or alternative first-line therapy (sotalol or propafenone) in a multicentre trial (Canadian Trial of Atrial Fibrillation, CTAF).

Results Patients in the amiodarone group had fewer electrical cardioversions (65 vs 109 for patients in the sotalol/propafenone group,P <0·0001), and pacemaker insertions (4 vs 11, P=0·07). The average amiodarone patient spent fewer days in hospital (0·47 vs 0·97, P=0·01), and incurred lower costs ($532 vs $898,P =0·03), for admissions where atrial fibrillation was the admitting diagnosis. Average total hospital costs per patient for all admissions, as well as average combined hospital and physician costs per patient, showed wide variations within the treatment arms and were not significantly different between groups.

Conclusion For patients in whom antiarrhythmic drug therapy is indicated, low dose amiodarone significantly reduces atrial fibrillation-related costs by reducing the number of atrial fibrillation-related procedures. Copyright 2001 The European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Key Words: Antiarrhythmic drugs, amiodarone, cost analysis, health economics, electrocardiogram, atrial fibrillation

f1 Correspondence: S. Nattel, MD, Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Belanger Street East, Montreal, Quebec, HlT 1C8, Canada.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Ann. Thorac. Surg.Home page
L. R. Zebis, T. D. Christensen, I. S. Kristiansen, and V. E. Hjortdal
Amiodarone Cost Effectiveness in Preventing Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
Ann. Thorac. Surg., January 1, 2008; 85(1): 28 - 32.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CirculationHome page
A. Da Costa, J. Thevenin, F. Roche, C. Romeyer-Bouchard, L. Abdellaoui, M. Messier, L. Denis, E. Faure, R. Gonthier, G. Kruszynski, et al.
Results From the Loire-Ardeche-Drome-Isere-Puy-de-Dome (LADIP) Trial on Atrial Flutter, a Multicentric Prospective Randomized Study Comparing Amiodarone and Radiofrequency Ablation After the First Episode of Symptomatic Atrial Flutter
Circulation, October 17, 2006; 114(16): 1676 - 1681.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 HeartHome page
C L Hu, H Jiang, Q Z Tang, Q H Zhang, J B Chen, C X Huang, and G S Li
Comparison of rate control and rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation after percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy: a randomised controlled study
Heart, August 1, 2006; 92(8): 1096 - 1101.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 EuropaceHome page
P. Zohar, M. Kovacic, M. Brezocnik, and M. Podbregar
Prediction of maintenance of sinus rhythm after electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation by non-deterministic modelling
Europace, January 1, 2005; 7(5): 500 - 507.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
V. E. Hagens, K. M. Vermeulen, E. M. TenVergert, D. J. Van Veldhuisen, H. A. Bosker, O. Kamp, J. H. Kingma, J. G.P. Tijssen, H. J.G.M. Crijns, I. C. Van Gelder, et al.
Rate control is more cost-effective than rhythm control for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation -- results from the RAte Control versus Electrical cardioversion (RACE) study
Eur. Heart J., September 1, 2004; 25(17): 1542 - 1549.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J CARDIOVASC PHARMACOL THERHome page
J. Galperin, M. V. Elizari, P. A. Chiale, R. T. Molina, R. Ledesma, A. O. Scapin, M. V. Blanco, R. Bonato, M. Lago, and Grupo de Estudio de Fibrilacion Auricular Con Amio
Pharmacologic Reversion of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation with Amiodarone Predicts Long-Term Sinus Rhythm Maintenance
Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, September 1, 2003; 8(3): 179 - 186.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
S. Nattel
Rhythm versus rate control for atrial fibrillation management: what recent randomized clinical trials allow us to affirm
Can. Med. Assoc. J., March 4, 2003; 168(5): 572 - 573.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
A. Krahn, G. Klein, A.C. Skanes, and R. Yee
Amiodarone: pearl or peril?
Eur. Heart J., July 1, 2002; 23(13): 1001 - 1002.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.