http://www.fpnotebook.com/
Atrial Fibrillation Rate Control
Aka: Atrial Fibrillation Rate Control
- See Also
- Guidelines 2000 CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Fibrillation Acute Management
- Atrial Fibrillation Anticoagulation
- Atrial Fibrillation Cardioversion
- Indications
- Chronic control
- Age over 65 years
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Contraindications to Antiarrhythmic medications
- Cardioversion unlikely to be effective (e.g. atrial enlargement)
- Acute episode
- Atrial Fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate
- Precautions
- Beware agents which may cardiovert Atrial Fib >48 hours
- Risk of embolic complications
- Exam: Target Heart Rate
- Heart Rate at rest: <80 bpm
- Heart Rate with Exercise: <110 bpm
- Protocol: Rate Control if WPW Syndrome with preserved heart function
- General
- Risk of embolus if rhythm cardioverts
- Consider Atrial Fibrillation Anticoagulation
- Avoid Harmful agents
- Adenosine
- Beta Blocker
- Calcium Channel Blocker
- Digoxin
- Recommended agents (Use only 1 agent)
- Electrical Synchronized Cardioversion if unstable
- Class IA Agents
- Procainamide
- Class IC Agents
- Propafenone (Rythmol)
- Flecainide (Tambocor)
- Class III Agents
- Amiodarone (Cordarone)
- Sotalol (Betapace)
- Protocol: Rate control if WPW with Ejection Fraction <40%
- General
- Risk of embolus if rhythm cardioverts
- Consider Atrial Fibrillation Anticoagulation
- Recommended agents
- Electrical Synchronized Cardioversion
- Amiodarone (Cordarone)
- Protocol: Rate control if Heart function preserved (No WPW)
- General
- Risk of embolus if rhythm cardioverts
- Consider Atrial Fibrillation Anticoagulation
- Recommended agents
- Beta Blockers (preferred)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor) - preferred
- Propranolol (Inderal)
- Esmolol (Brevibloc)
- Calcium Channel Blocker
- Verapamil (Calan)
- Diltiazem (Cardizem) - preferred
- See Diltiazem for dosing protocol
- Protocol: Rate control if Ejection Fraction <40% (No WPW)
- General
- Risk of embolus if rhythm cardioverts
- Consider Atrial Fibrillation Anticoagulation
- Recommended agents
- Digoxin (Lanoxin)
- Diltiazem (Cardizem) - preferred
- Amiodarone
- Management: Choosing longterm rate versus rhythm control
- Rate control has less drug-related adverse effects
- Rate control has equivalent efficacy to rhythm control
- Same survival benefit
- Same Cerebrovascular Accident risk
- Rhythm control may offer benefit in age <65 years
- References
- Wyse (2002) N Engl J Med 347:1825-33
- References
- Dell'Orfano (1998) Am Fam Physician, 58(2):471-80
- Hebbar (2002) Am Fam Physician 65(12):2479-86
- King (2002) Am Fam Physician 66:249-56
- (2000) Circulation, 102(Suppl I):86-9
- http://www.circulationaha.org