These symptoms often are dosage related and usually improve when the dosage is reduced. After absorption, the drug undergoes extensive enterohepatic circulation. This may be calculated if the amount ingested is known or the postdistribution serum drug level is known (round dose to the nearest whole vial). government site. PMC Restated: Duration of IV infusion < 1 week: 800-1600mg/day po initially x 1-2 weeks or complete current week; 1-3 weeks: 600-800mg/day po initially - total therapy ~ 1 month counting IV infusion ; >3 weeks: 400mg po qd initially. Assistance in calculating accurate rates of medication administration. Oral Loading - Half-life elimination: 40-55 days (range: 26-107 days); Administration of Cordarone in divided doses with meals is suggested for total daily doses of 1,000 mg or higher, or when gastrointestinal intolerance occurs.) INDICATIONS AND USAGE: SOTYLIZE is an antiarrhythmic indicated for: The treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. WARNINGS In light of these variabilities, it is very difficult to come up with an exact equivalent dose, but generally most practitioners cut the dose by approximately 50% when converting from PO to IV. Renal impairment does not influence the pharmacokinetics of amiodarone. 2004;4(1)2004Medscape. 150-mg IV bolus over 10 minutes (if necessary, bolus may be repeated in 10 to 30 minutes); then 1 mg per minute for 6 hours; then 0.5 mg per minute for 18 hours; then reduce IV dosage or convert to oral dosing when possible. WebAmiodarone is used to manage virtually all forms of supraventricular and ventricular tachycardia and has therefore become one of the most frequently used antiarrhythmic drugs in clinical practice. Please confirm that you would like to log out of Medscape. Although the exact mechanism by which adenosine receptor activation relaxes vascular smooth muscle is not known, there is evidence to support both inhibition of the slow inward calcium current reducing calcium uptake, and activation of adenylate cyclase through A2 receptors in smooth muscle cells. See labeling for oral amiodarone. Congestive heart failure can mimic amiodarone pneumonitis and, thus, must be ruled out early in the evaluation. If the QTc >15% of baseline, or if the QTc is >500 msec (550 msec in patients with ventricular conduction abnormalities), dofetilide should be adjusted. Due to rapid distribution, serum concentrations decline to 10% of peak values within 30 to 45 minutes after the end of the infusion. Estimation of the dose is based on the body burden of digitalis. Peak concentrations after 10-minute infusions of 150 mg intravenous amiodarone in patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF) or hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia (VT) range between 7 and 26 mg/L. 2014;148:e15393. See table. INFUSION, Recommendations for conversion to intravenous amiodarone after oral administration, HONcode standard for trust- worthy health, Skeletal Muscle Index And Ovarian Cancer Prognosis: A Meta-Analysis, 7 Natural Remedies for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Infusion: >3 weeks How many mL is 300 mg of amiodarone? > 3 weeks. Digoxin levels predictably double after coadministration with amiodarone.22 This increase occurs because of the inhibition of digoxin secretion from renal tubules and the inhibition of the P-glycoprotein membrane transporter system.23 The digoxin dosage should be reduced by 50 percent when amiodarone is started, and plasma digoxin levels should be monitored closely. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Hypotension should be treated initially by slowing the infusion; additional standard therapy may be needed, including the following: vasopressor drugs, positive inotropic agents, and volume expansion. For chronic toxicity: 6 vials; for infants and small children =( 20kg), a single vial may be sufficient ---------------------------------------Administration Continuous I.V. The drug prevents the recurrence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and produces a modest reduction of sudden deaths in high-risk patients. Greenberg JW, Lancaster TS, Schuessler RB, et al. Effective in @30% of patients. Patients with the indicated arrhythmias must be hospitalized while the loading dose is given, and a response generally requires at least one week, usually two or more. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted Inform patients administering this drug to do so consistently with regard to meals. Initial Daily Dose of Oral Cordarone : 600-800 mg. HlTn6}W#\)XM6E/-le1C?b9vC_ E5W7+x^}dh You will receive email when new content is published. Thyroid toxicity is the most common complication that requires intervention. Consider stopping amiodarone; causal relationship is uncertain. Hypersensitivity reaction: 0.2-0.5 mg IM, SQ every 20 minutes to 4 hours (maximum single dose: 1 mg). Webbetween PO and IV (64% vs. 68%, respectively; p=NS) 223 patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation on digoxin PO amiodarone 600 mg in3 divided doses vs. IV amiodarone 5mg/kg Monitoring: Pacerone, Cordarone, Nexterone, Cordarone IV. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. An official website of the United States government. Adverse reactions: sinus bradyarrhythmias; AV block; N/V/D; yellow vision and hallucinations; supra and ventricular arrhythmias. Reconstitution/preparation techniques: The manufacturer product information should be consulted. Any report from the patient of worsening dyspnea or cough should elicit a prompt assessment for pulmonary toxicity. 300mg extended release tablet (sulfate). Protect from light. IV to oral transition (infusion duration }v~/lceM-. Amiodarone and DEA cross the placenta and both appear in breast milk. Amiodarone is generally considered a class III antiarrhythmic drug, but it possesses electrophysiologic characteristics of all four Vaughan Williams classes. Continued monitoring for doses 2-5: QTc interval must be determined 2-3 hours after each subsequent dose of dofetilide for in-hospital doses 2-5. DOSE RECOMMENDATIONS -- FIRST 24 HOURS -- Loading infusions. Amiodarone is metabolized to desethylamiodarone by the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme group, specifically cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and CYP2C8. May consider giving 10 vials, observing the patient's response, and following with an additional 10 vials. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Duration of Cordarone I.V. The only information that I could find about PO to IV conversion involved patients who are stabilized on amiodarone PO for 4 months or longer. On the other hand, it is possible that this is a very lightweight, elderly woman, and the physician is being extremely cautious on the loading or there are other comorbid conditions that could increase the risk of amiodarone toxicity. The authors report no conflicts of interest. [Oral bioavailability (tablets): 70 to 80%]. No significant association was found between various overlap durations and AF recurrence (odds ratio (OR) 1.00, 95% CI 1.00-1.01, P = 0.9). (900 mg) to 500 mL D5W (conc = 1.8 mg/mL). If the potassium concentration exceeds 5 mEq/L in the setting of severe digitalis intoxication, therapy with DIGIBIND is indicated. The primary outcome was AF recurrence within 24 hours after IV amiodarone discontinuation. IV to oral transition (infusion duration [assuming 0.5 mg/min infusion]: initial oral daily dose). Loading Dose (Daily): (Ventricular Arrhythmias) 800 to 1,600 mg x 1-3 weeks, then 600 to 800 mg x ~1 month, then start maintenance of 400mg/day. Dosage modification: c interval should be measured 2-3 hours after the initial dose. One meta-analysis of 13 studies of patients with congestive heart failure or recent myocardial infarction showed a small reduction in total annual mortality, from 12.3 percent to 10.9 percent (absolute risk reduction [ARR], 2.4 percent; number needed to treat [NNT], 42).5 [Evidence level A, meta-analysis] The benefit of amiodarone therapy was more pronounced in the patients who had congestive heart failure, with treatment reducing the annual mortality rate from 24.3 percent to 19.9 percent (ARR, 4.4 percent; NNT, 23). CRCL 20-39 ml/min: Administer 125 mcg twice daily. Indications INDICATIONS If liver enzyme levels are three times higher than normal, amiodarone should be discontinued unless a patient is at high risk for recurrence of life-threatening arrhythmia.2. This adverse effect occurs at a rate of 0.6 percent annually.11, Patients with liver toxicity are rarely symptomatic. Lidocaine (xylocaine ) Ventricular arrhythmia: 1-1.5 mg/kg IV bolus over 2-3 minutes; may repeat doses of 0.5-0.75 mg/kg in 5-10 minutes up to a total of 3 mg/kg; Replacement therapy may not be necessary in such patients if oral therapy is discontinued for a period <2 weeks, since any changes in serum amiodarone concentrations during this period may not be clinically significant. If intravenous amiodarone is administered during pregnancy, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. Crcl <40 ml/min: Use is contraindicated. After the first 24 hours, the maintenance infusion rate of 0.5 mg/min (720 mg/24 hours) should be continued utilizing a concentration of 1 to 6 mg/ml (Cordarone I.V. Instruct patients to avoid sun exposure and use sun-barrier creams or protective clothing. Dosage for acute ingestion of unknown amount: 20 vials (760mg) of Digibind is adequate to treat most life-threatening ingestions. Bookshelf Unfortunately, there is substantial interpatient variability in response time to IV amiodarone, and the bioavailability of the oral form is also quite variable ranging from 30% to 70%. Oral: 250-500 mg/dose every 3-6 hours or 500 mg to 1 g every 6 hours extended release; usual dose: 50 mg/kg/24 hours; maximum: 4 g/24 hours. Supplied: Adenocard: 3 mg/ml (2 ml, 4 ml) Adenoscan: 3 mg/ml (20 ml, 30 ml). Repeat history, physical exam, and chest X-ray every 3 to 6 months. Conversion from oral to IV: Decrease IV dose by 20 to 25%. Once inside the cell, adenosine is rapidly phosphorylated by adenosine kinase to adenosine monophosphate, or deaminated by adenosine deaminase to inosine. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. concentrations greater than 3 mg/mL in D5W have been associated with a high incidence of peripheral vein phlebitis; however, concentrations of 2.5 mg/mL or less appear to be less irritating. Maintenance dose: Digoxin clearance= [CRCL + 40] x 1.44 (add 20 instead of 40 if pt has CHF). Cordarone I.V. Bradycardia and heart block occur in 1 to 3 percent of patients receiving amiodarone.2 Amiodarone-induced proarrhythmia occurs at an annual rate of less than 1 percent.11 Although almost all patients treated with the drug have prolongation of the QT interval, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (i.e., torsades de pointes) is rare. 2017;52:665672. Attempts to substitute other antiarrhythmic agents when this drug must be stopped will be made difficult by the gradually, but unpredictably, changing body burden of this drug. Intravenously administered amiodarone causes heart block or bradycardia in 4.9 percent of patients and hypotension in 16 percent.2 If these conditions occur, infusion of the drug should be discontinued, or the rate of infusion should be reduced. Maintenance dose should be determined according to antiarrhythmic effect as assessed by patient tolerance as well as symptoms, Holter recordings, and/or programmed electrical stimulation; some patients may require up to 600 mg/day while some can be controlled on lower doses. Cordarone I.V is not intended for maint therapy. This dose can be used in patients in acute distress or when a serum concentration is not available. 4 0 obj
Prevention of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ICDs to decrease risk of shocks. Bradycardia should be treated by slowing the infusion rate or discontinuing amiodarone. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ORAL DOSAGE AFTER I.V. F~GMlILIvau88}]nv9W_%o"v2=Wo- hh
Like class I drugs, amiodarone blocks sodium channels at rapid pacing frequencies, and like class II drugs, it exerts a noncompetitive antisympathetic action. Copyright 2021 GlobalRPH - Web Development by, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ORAL DOSAGE AFTER I.V. Disclaimer. Administration advice: The manufacturer product information should be consulted. WebThe use of amiodarone for postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is widespread; however, there is a paucity of data on the optimal duration of overlap when transitioning from Crcl <10 ml/min: Individualize dose. A causal relationship is not well established. Any patient who notes changes in visual acuity or peripheral vision should be referred for ophthalmologic evaluation. Amiodarone injection belongs to the group of medicines known as antiarrhythmics. ---------------------------------------Supplied: Injection, powder for reconstitution: Digibind: 38 mg. ========================= Dilution: Prescribed dose/ 50 ml NS. HONcode standard for trust- worthy health, Skeletal Muscle Index And Ovarian Cancer Prognosis: A Meta-Analysis, 7 Natural Remedies for Rheumatoid Arthritis. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal The relationship between plasma amiodarone concentrations and effect, as well as the contribution of the metabolite DEA, is not well established.2 Routine monitoring of the amiodarone plasma level is not recommended.4 [Evidence level C, consensus/expert guidelines], Amiodarone is approved for use in the secondary prevention of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Click the topic below to receive emails when new articles are available. 4i$h>B/>tJ1g'nS-84]h9L\\: CRCL <20 ml/min: Contraindicated in this group, Supplied: 125 mcg, 250 mcg, 500 mcg capsule. CONTRAINDICATIONS Although amiodarone use during pregnancy is uncommon, there have been a small number of published reports of congenital goiter/hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism associated with its oral administration. Amiodarone is an iodinated benzofuran derivative that was synthesized and tested as an antianginal agent in the 1960s but was later discovered to have antiarrhythmic INDICATIONS AND USAGE MULTAQ is indicated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular hospitalization in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL), with a recent episode of AF/AFL and associated cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., age >70, hypertension, diabetes, prior cerebrovascular accident, left atrial diameter 50 mm or left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] <40%), who are in sinus rhythm or who will be cardioverted. CONTRAINDICATIONS There are no known contraindications to the use of DIGIBIND. Liver enzyme levels three times higher than normal. Peak serum concentrations after 15-minute infusions in healthy volunteers range from 5 to 41 mg/L. Photosensitivity is common in patients receiving amiodarone therapy. by 25% full replacement dose qwk if hyperactivity risk; give PO form on empty stomach, 30-60min before morning meal; IM/IV dose is 50-75% of PO dose [>12 yo, growth/puberty complete] One of its main effects, with prolonged administration, is to lengthen the cardiac action potential, a class III effect. Restated: Duration of IV infusion < 1 week: 800-1600mg/day po initially x 1-2 weeks or complete current week; 1-3 weeks: 600-800mg/day po initially - total therapy ~ 1 month counting IV infusion ; >3 weeks: 400mg po qd initially. High-resolution computed tomographic scanning can be helpful in making a diagnosis. Add 18 mL of Cordarone I.V. Treatment with Class I or III antiarrhythmics (e.g., amiodarone, flecainide, propafenone, quinidine, disopyramide, dofetilide, sotalol) or drugs that are strong inhibitors of CYP3A (e.g., ketoconazole) must be stopped before starting MULTAQ, HOW SUPPLIED MULTAQ 400-mg tablets are provided as white film-coated tablets for oral administration, oblong-shaped, engraved with a double wave marking on one side and "4142" code on the other side in:Bottles of 60 tablets, NDC 0024-4142-60 Bottles of 180 tablets, NDC 0024-4142-18 Bottles of 500 tablets NDC 0024-4142-50 Box of 10 blisters (10 tablets per blister) NDC 0024-4142-10. Thyroid function test should be performed where appropriate prior to therapy in all patients. The Fab fragment-digoxin complex accumulates in the blood, from which it is excreted by the kidney. The recommended starting dose of Cordarone I.V. The Society of thoracic Surgeons practice guideline on the prophylaxis and management of atrial fibrillation associated with general thoracic surgery. The negative chronotropic effect of amiodarone in nodal tissues is similar to the effect of class IV drugs. of vials = level (ng/mL) x body weight (kg) divided by 100, Digitoxin: No. is about 1000 mg over the first 24 hours of therapy, delivered by the following infusion regimen: First Rapid: 150 mg over the FIRST - 10 minutes (15 mg/min). A total of 184 patients were included for analysis. The relative efficacy of amiodarone and ICDs in preventing sudden death in patients without coronary disease is under investigation. Sotalol hydrochloride is a racemic mixture of two isomers, both of which have similar Class III antiarrhythmic effects, while the l-isomer is responsible for virtually all of the beta-blocking activity. Peak levels after 150 mg of supplemental infusions in patients with VT/VF range between 7 and 26 mg/L. 5 0 obj
Administration of Cordarone in divided doses with meals is suggested for total daily doses of 1,000 mg or higher, or when gastrointestinal intolerance occurs.) Advise patients to avoid consumption of grapefruit juice during treatment with this drug. Initial dose: 1000 mg over the first 24 hours of therapy, delivered by the following infusion regimen: No adjustment recommended Each milliliter of the Cordarone I.V. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! concentrations should not exceed 2 mg/mL unless a central venous catheter is used. Drip preparation: Add 2.5 grams/ 250 ml D5W or NS [Drip rate (ml/hr)= wt(kg) x mcg/min x 0.006 ]. is about 1000 mg over the first 24 hours of therapy, delivered by the following infusion regimen: First Rapid: 150 mg over the FIRST - 10 minutes (15 mg/min). 6 0 obj
May be further diluted with normal saline. Oral: 0.4 mg, may repeat every 4 to 6 hours. There has been limited experience in patients receiving intravenous amiodarone for longer than 3 weeks. If the starting dose is 500 mcg twice daily, then adjust to 250 mcg twice daily. Adjust infusion rate as needed to maintain desired heart rate and/or blood pressure, up to 300 mcg/kg/minute. What should we do for this patient? Amiodarone : I.V. DOSE RECOMMENDATIONS -- FIRST 24 HOURS -- Loading infusions. The recommended starting dose of Cordarone I.V. is about 1000 mg over the first 24 hours of therapy, delivered by the following infusion regimen: First Rapid: 150 mg over the FIRST - 10 minutes (15 mg/min). Add 3 mL of Cordarone I.V. (150 mg) to 100 mL D5W. If cardiac arrest is imminent, may give as a bolus. <>
(loading dose only): 2 to 2.5 times the IV dose. Grapefruit juice can inhibit amiodarone metabolism and lead to elevated drug levels,3 but the impact of this interaction on the long-term efficacy and toxicity of amiodarone is not known. A filter is not required for IV direct administration. Because absorption and elimination are variable, maintenance-dose selection is difficult, and it is not unusual to require dosage decrease or discontinuation of treatment. %PDF-1.7
Amiodarone is more effective than sotalol or propafenone in preventing recurrent atrial fibrillation in patients for whom a rhythm-control strategy is chosen. Maintenance infusion: 540 mg over the REMAINING 18 hours (0.5 mg/min). In a placebo-controlled study in patients with severe heart failure requiring recent hospitalization or referral to a specialized heart failure clinic for worsening symptoms (the ANDROMEDA Study), patients given dronedarone had a greater than two-fold increase in mortality. May give by bolus injection if cardiac arrest is imminent. <>stream
The systemic availability of oral amiodarone in healthy subjects ranges between 33% and 65%. WebA = Airway - Assess for airway obstruction, assess for breathing, perform intubation B = Breathing - Ventilate with 100% oxygen, 10-24 breaths/minute C = Circulation - Assess for heart beat and pulses if absent, begin chest compressions, 100-120 compressions/minute Begin ADVANCED life support Obtain Electrocardiogram and Determine Arrest Rhythm Studies on the use of amiodarone for the primary prevention of sudden death in high-risk patients have had mixed results. Obtain a baseline chest X-ray and pulmonary-function tests, including diffusion capacity, when treatment with this drug is initiated. The affinity of DIGIBIND for digitoxin is about 108 to 109 M-1. (Doses <0.5 mg have been associated with paradoxical bradycardia.). Hypotension This drug should be used at the lowest effective dose in order to prevent the occurrence of side effects. In early studies, the frequency of pulmonary toxicity in amiodarone therapy was 2 to 17 percent.2 More recent studies have shown a lower incidence in patients receiving dosages of 300 mg per day or less. Atrial fibrillation/flutter (Betapace AF): Crcl >60 ml/min: Administer every 12 hours. (Enter numeric value only. Provides access to the latest drug monographs submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Contraindications: V-fibrillation; hypokalemia; WPW syndrome with wide complex. Slow digoxin loading Slow oral digitalization, generally preferred for most patients, can be achieved by starting a maintenance dose of 0.125 to 0.25 mg daily. If you believe a loading dose is appropriate, then start him/her on IV loading while NPO. (Glass bottle or polyolefin container) Infusion*: <1 week Initial Daily Dose of Oral Cordarone : 800-1600 mg, Duration of Cordarone I.V. Careers. 1 0 obj
E.T. The North American Society for Pacing and Electrophysiology (NASPE) recommends amiodarone as the antiarrhythmic agent of choice in patients who have survived sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias, particularly those with left ventricular dysfunction.4. Onset of the antiarrhythmic effect of intravenous amiodarone occurs in less than 30 minutes.15, In the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) guidelines published in 2000, amiodarone and procainamide are recommended for the initial treatment of hemodynamically stable wide-complex tachycardia.16 However, these guidelines list amiodarone as being only possibly effective for the treatment of refractory pulseless ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. FOIA If the starting dose was 250 mcg twice daily, then adjust to 125 mcg twice daily. Note: Decrease dose in patients with CHF, elderly, hepatic disease. Injection: 80 mg/ml (10 ml) (gluconate). Crcl 40-60 ml/min: Administer every 24 hours. Avoid excessive heat. HOW SUPPLIED ---------------------- In some patients, inserting a pacemaker is required. Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Replacement therapy may not be necessary in such patients if oral therapy is discontinued for a period <2 weeks, since any changes in serum amiodarone concentrations during this period may not be clinically significant. The patient is now taking nothing by mouth (NPO), and the physician would like to Small doses (infants/small children) may be administered using tuberculin syringe. Hypotension (refractory to dopamine/dobutamine): Initial (continuous infusion): 1 mcg/minute (range: 1-10 mcg/minute); titrate to desired effect; severe cardiac dysfunction may require doses >10 mcg/minute (up to 0.1 mcg/kg/minute). Laboratory studies to assess liver and thyroid function should be performed at least every six months. Use of evacuated glass containers for admixing Cordarone I.V. In the event of breakthrough episodes of VF or hemodynamically unstable VT, Give 150-mg/100 ml D5W over 10 minutes to minimize potential for hypotension. 2.Weight of patient. When switching from another antiarrhythmic, initiate a 200 mg dose 6-12 hours after stopping former agents, 3-6 hours after stopping procainamide. Duration of Cordarone I.V. Commenting is limited to medical professionals. is not recommended as incompatibility with a buffer in the container may cause precipitation. 2010;55:13701376. Because a typical oral amiodarone loading dose for ventricular arrhythmia starts with 800-1600 mg/day and for atrial fibrillation starts with 600-800 mg/day, I would assume that for one reason or another a decision was made not to load this patient. This has occurred in 2% to 5% of patients in various series, and significant heart block or sinus bradycardia has been seen in 2% to 5%. Intravenous amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic agent which has been reported to be safe and most effective in various clinical settings, without an associated increase in mortality rate. The bioavailability of amiodarone is variable but generally poor, ranging from 22 to 95 percent.1 Absorption is enhanced when the drug is taken with food.2 Amiodarone is highly lipid soluble and is stored in high concentrations in fat and muscle, as well as in the liver, lungs, and skin. Neurologic toxicity associated with amiodarone therapy can include ataxia, paresthesias, and tremor. Typical dosing regimens are provided in Table 1.10 Because dosages below 300 mg per day are associated with a reduced incidence of pulmonary adverse effects, physicians should aim for a long-term maintenance dosage of 200 mg per day or less.18. Amiodarone Hydrochloride Injection, 50 mg/mL is supplied in: In patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction, the pharmacokinetics of amiodarone are not significantly altered but the terminal disposition t1/2 of DEA is prolonged. Amiodarone is used in the treatment of atrial fibrillation, although the FDA has not approved this indication. Would you like email updates of new search results? Advise patients that most manufacturers of corneal refractive laser surgery devices consider corneal refractive laser surgery contraindicated in patients taking this drug. is about 1000 mg over the first 24 hours of therapy, delivered by the following infusion regimen: First Rapid: 150 mg Various practice guidelines recommend amiodarone as a second-line drug in the long-term treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with structural heart disease and in highly symptomatic patients without heart disease.10 Several smaller studies have shown that amiodarone is similar to quinidine and sotalol in the treatment of atrial fibrillation in these patients.11,12 In one randomized controlled trial (RCT),12 sinus rhythm was maintained successfully for 16 months in 65 percent of patients treated with amiodarone, compared with 37 percent of patients treated with sotalol or propafenone (ARR, 28 percent; NNT, 3.6).