Re: Check out High Relapse Rate Observed After Electrical Cardioversion for Atria

[Guest guest]

Hi Lee:

I am very interested in this article, as I am scheduled for

cardioversion later this week. But the link provided does not bring

up the article. Could you email me the article. I tried searching the

medscape site with no results.

Thanks in advance,

Ed

> <A

>

HREF= " http://cardiology.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2001/12/12.27/200112

26clin00

>

> 1.html " >Click here: High Relapse Rate Observed After Electrical

Cardioversion

> for Atrial Fibrillation</A>

>

> This article was on Medscape this week.

>

> Happy New Year, All!

>

> Lee, NJ

[Guest guest]

All,

I could not read this article either.

I want to point out that what ever put you heart in Afib in the first place

needs to be remedied if a cardio version holds for appreciable time. It may

be you will go into NSR but the mechanics off Afib will kick in again if not

cured. I would suppose there is some hope of this working as I was in

sustained AF for over 16 months and Doefitilide got me back to PAF. What I

am trying to day is you need something to help other than the cardiversion

to work,

Best regards

C.

Hi Lee:

I am very interested in this article, as I am scheduled for

cardioversion later this week. But the link provided does

not bring

up the article. Could you email me the article. I tried

searching the

medscape site with no results.

Thanks in advance,

Ed

> <A

>

HREF= " http://cardiology.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2001/12/12.27/200112

26clin00

>

> 1.html " >Click here: High Relapse Rate Observed After

Electrical

Cardioversion

> for Atrial Fibrillation</A>

>

> This article was on Medscape this week.

>

> Happy New Year, All!

>

> Lee, NJ

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[Guest guest]

> I could not read this article either.

I'm not sure why the link isn't working, please try:

http://cardiology.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2001/12/12.27/20011226clin

001.html

Lee

>

>

>

>

>

> > <A

> >

>

>

HREF= " http://cardiology.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2001/12/12.27/200112

> 26clin00

> >

> > 1.html " >Click here: High Relapse Rate Observed After

> Electrical

> Cardioversion

> > for Atrial Fibrillation</A>

> >

> > This article was on Medscape this week.

> >

> > Happy New Year, All!

> >

> > Lee, NJ

>

>

>

>

>

>

**********************************************************************

> This message may contain information which is confidential or

privileged.

> If you are not the intended recipient, please advise the sender

immediately

> by reply e-mail and delete this message and any attachments

> without retaining a copy.

>

>

**********************************************************************

[Guest guest]

I fund the article on another site. Here's the text.

Steve Taffee

High relapse rate observed after electrical cardioversion for atrial

fibrillation

27th December, 2001

Int J Cardiol 2001;81:29-35 - Abstract - Full text (subscr req)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While initial success rates of electrical

cardioversion for atrial fibrillation/flutter are high, only a

minority of patients maintain sinus rhythm in the long term. The

finding suggests that stopping anticoagulation therapy in

cardioverted patients at 1 month is unsafe.

" There is currently considerable debate with regard to the optimal

management of atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF), including the long-

term success of electrical cardioversion and the duration of

anticoagulation thereafter, " Dr. Colin Berry, of Western Infirmary,

Glasgow, UK, and colleagues note in a report in the November issue of

the International Journal of Cardiology. [

In a prospective, observational study, the researchers examined the

current management and outcomes of electrical cardioversion in 111

consecutive patients with AF " in ordinary clinical practice. "

Ninety-six of the patients (86%) achieved immediate sinus rhythm

restoration, and 88 patients (79%) remained in sinus rhythm at

discharge, according to the report. Of those 88, 54 (61%) were in

sinus rhythm at 1 month and a further 21 relapsed into AF by 1 year.

" Independent predictors of sinus rhythm at discharge were younger age

(for a difference of 5 years, odds ratio = 1.54; p = 0.002) and

absence of hypertension (1.73; p = 0.015), " the team notes.

" The presence of sinus rhythm at discharge (6.4; p = 0.007) was an

independent predictor of sinus rhythm at 1 month, whereas older age

was a negative predictor (0.96; p = 0.05). " The presence of sinus

rhythm at 1 month was the only predictor of sinus rhythm at 1 year

(OR = 4.8; p =0.002).

The mean global health-related quality of life score at baseline was

54. The quality of life score improved at 1 and 12 months in the

sinus rhythm group, with changes of 16 and 10.3, respectively,

versus -4.2 and -0.7, respectively, in the AF group (p = 0.001 and p

= 0.01 at 1 and 12 months, respectively).

" Further studies of the longer term (1 to 5 years) relapse rate in

successfully cardioverted patients are needed, as are studies of the

risk faced by patients who are restored to sinus rhythm and withdrawn

from anticoagulant treatment soon after cardioversion, " Dr. Berry and

colleagues conclude.

Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication

or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar

means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of

Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the

content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

> Hi Lee:

>

> I am very interested in this article, as I am scheduled for

> cardioversion later this week. But the link provided does not bring

> up the article. Could you email me the article. I tried searching

the

> medscape site with no results.

>

> Thanks in advance,

> Ed