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Heart & Lung : the Journal of Critical... 2023Guideline recommendations regarding the preferred preventive measures for postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) are unclear, nor have we found any review articles... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Guideline recommendations regarding the preferred preventive measures for postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) are unclear, nor have we found any review articles addressing the combination of amiodarone and beta-blockers for the prevention of POAF.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate the efficacy and safety of combination beta-blockers and amiodarone in the prevention of POAF while also comparing the use of amiodarone and beta-blockers individually.
METHODS
We used Pubmed as the primary resource. POAF incidence was the primary outcome of this study. The secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, treatment-related drug discontinuation (TRDD), and mortality. The random-effects model assessed all pooled outcomes with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05.
RESULTS
The amiodarone subgroup of POAF incidence saw a Risk Ratio (RR) of 0.81 [0.63, 1.06], p=0.12, while the combination subgroup resulted in a RR of 0.63 [0.49, 0.80], p <0.001. TRDD for the amiodarone subgroup resulted in a RR of 0.68 [0.25, 1.82], p=0.44, while the combination subgroup saw a RR of 0.84 [0.57, 1.23], p=0.36. For mortality, the amiodarone subgroup resulted in a RR of 0.97 [0.48, 1.98], p=0.93, while the combination subgroup resulted in a RR of 1.04 [0.27, 4.05], p=0.96. Both hospital and ICU LOS saw no significant difference between treatment arms for both the combination subgroup and amiodarone alone. Except for the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in the combination prophylaxis group, most of the measured outcomes did not meet the optimized information size (OIS) that was estimated.
CONCLUSION
Combination prophylaxis with amiodarone and beta-blockers significantly lowered risks of POAF incidence in comparison to beta-blockers alone while also having comparative mortality and TRDD outcomes.
PubMed: 37619317
DOI: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2023.08.006 -
Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Dec 2023Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic drug with a significant adverse effect profile, including neurotoxicity. While ataxia, neuropathy, and tremors are more commonly seen... (Review)
Review
Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic drug with a significant adverse effect profile, including neurotoxicity. While ataxia, neuropathy, and tremors are more commonly seen forms of amiodarone neurotoxicity, very few cases of nystagmus are reported. We report the case of an 86-year-old man who presented with abrupt-onset ataxia, dizziness, and inability to ambulate, 10 days after initiating amiodarone for atrial fibrillation. His examination revealed gaze-evoked nystagmus along with features of cerebellar dysfunction. After excluding other etiologies, amiodarone was stopped. His nystagmus resolved, and his ataxia improved within 48 h of stopping amiodarone. Due to the rarity of this drug-induced adverse effect, we performed a systematic review of available case reports in the literature (PubMed and Scopus) using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and presented our findings. Nystagmus is a rarely reported adverse effect of amiodarone, which can occur within days to months of starting the medication. Treatment includes stopping the drug and monitoring for resolution of nystagmus.
Topics: Aged, 80 and over; Humans; Male; Amiodarone; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Ataxia; Atrial Fibrillation; Dizziness; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Tremor; Case Reports as Topic
PubMed: 37571970
DOI: 10.1002/jcph.2330 -
Cureus Jun 2023This systematic review aimed to explore whether elderly patients administered amiodarone were susceptible to developing myxedema coma. Utilizing the Cochrane guidelines,... (Review)
Review
This systematic review aimed to explore whether elderly patients administered amiodarone were susceptible to developing myxedema coma. Utilizing the Cochrane guidelines, a comprehensive review of databases such as Medline (PubMed), Science Direct, CINAHL Cochrane, and Google Scholar was undertaken to examine case reports on amiodarone-induced myxedema coma. Following stringent criteria for inclusion, 12 pertinent case reports were identified. These findings suggested a high probability of myxedema coma development in patients who had been administered amiodarone. Specifically, patients who received an oral dosage of 100-200 mg of amiodarone were reported to have developed bradycardia and hypothermia alongside elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Upon diagnosis, the majority of patients were treated with a regimen of levothyroxine and hydrocortisone medication. Despite the myriad potential causes of myxedema coma complicating the diagnosis, it was found that through a combination of clinical symptoms and serum TSH measurements, a confirmed diagnosis could be reached. Furthermore, it was observed that amiodarone-induced myxedema coma responded favorably to treatment with levothyroxine and glucocorticoids.
PubMed: 37492810
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.40893 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jul 2023Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is the most common complication after cardiac surgery; it is associated with morbidity and mortality. We undertook this review... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is the most common complication after cardiac surgery; it is associated with morbidity and mortality. We undertook this review to compare the effects of rhythm vs. rate control in this population.
METHODS
We searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL to March 2023. We included randomized trials and observational studies comparing rhythm to rate control in cardiac surgery patients with POAF. We used a random-effects model to meta-analyze data and rated the quality of evidence using GRADE.
RESULTS
From 8,110 citations, we identified 8 randomized trials (990 patients). Drug regimens used for rhythm control included amiodarone in four trials, other class III anti-arrhythmics in one trial, class I anti-arrhythmics in four trials and either a class I or III anti-arrhythmic in one trial. Rhythm control compared to rate control did not result in a significant difference in length of stay (mean difference -0.8 days; 95% CI -3.0 to +1.4, I = 97%), AF recurrence within 1 week (130 events; risk ratio [RR] 1.1; 95%CI 0.6-1.9, I = 54%), AF recurrence up to 1 month (37 events; RR 0.9; 95%CI 0.5-1.8, I = 0%), AF recurrence up to 3 months (10 events; RR 1.0; 95%CI 0.3-3.4, I = 0%) or mortality (25 events; RR 1.6; 95%CI 0.7-3.5, I = 0%). Effect measures from seven observational studies (1428 patients) did not differ appreciably from those in randomized trials.
CONCLUSIONS
Although atrial fibrillation is common after cardiac surgery, limited low-quality data guide its management. Limited available evidence suggests no clear advantage to either rhythm or rate control. A large-scale randomized trial is needed to inform this important clinical question.
PubMed: 37445569
DOI: 10.3390/jcm12134534 -
JACC. Clinical Electrophysiology Jun 2023There is variability in treatment modalities for premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), including use of antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy or catheter ablation (CA).... (Review)
Review
There is variability in treatment modalities for premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), including use of antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy or catheter ablation (CA). This study reviewed evidence comparing CA vs AADs for the treatment of PVCs. A systematic review was performed from the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, as well as the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, U.S. National Library of Medicine ClinicalTrials database, and the European Union Clinical Trials Register. Five studies (1 randomized controlled trial) enrolling 1,113 patients (57.9% female) were analyzed. Four of five studies recruited mainly patients with outflow tract PVCs. There was significant heterogeneity in AAD choice. Electroanatomic mapping was used in 3 of 5 studies. No studies documented intracardiac echocardiography or contact force-sensing catheter use. Acute procedural endpoints varied (2 of 5 targeted elimination of all PVCs). All studies had significant potential for bias. CA seemed superior to AADs for PVC recurrence, frequency, and burden. One study reported long-term symptoms (CA superior). Quality of life or cost-effectiveness was not reported. Complication and adverse event rates were 0% to 5.6% for CA and 9.5% to 21% for AADs. Future randomized controlled trials will assess CA vs AADs for patients with PVCs without structural heart disease (ECTOPIA [Elimination of Ventricular Premature Beats with Catheter Ablation versus Optimal Antiarrhythmic Drug Treatment]), with impaired LVEF (PAPS [Prospective Assessment of Premature Ventricular Contractions Suppression in Cardiomyopathy] Pilot), and with structural heart disease (CAT-PVC [Catheter Ablation Versus Amiodarone for Therapy of Premature Ventricular Contractions in Patients With Structural Heart Disease]). In conclusion, CA seems to reduce recurrence, burden, and frequency of PVCs compared with AADs. There is a lack of data on patient- and health care-specific outcomes such as symptoms, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. Several upcoming trials will offer important insights for management of PVCs.
Topics: Female; United States; Male; Humans; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Ventricular Premature Complexes; Australia; Heart Diseases; Catheter Ablation
PubMed: 37380322
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2023.01.035 -
American Journal of Cardiovascular... Jul 2023Since atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the major arrhythmias managed in hospitals worldwide, it has a major impact on public health. The guidelines agree on the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE
Since atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the major arrhythmias managed in hospitals worldwide, it has a major impact on public health. The guidelines agree on the desirability of cardioverting paroxysmal AF episodes. This meta-analysis aims to answer the question of which antiarrhythmic agent is most effective in cardioverting a paroxysmal AF.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis, searching MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL, were performed, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) enrolling a population of unselected adult patients with a paroxysmal AF that compared at least two pharmacological regimes to restore the sinus rhythm or a cardioversion agent against a placebo. The main outcome was efficacy in restoring sinus rhythm.
RESULTS
Sixty-one RCTs (7988 patients) were included in the quantitative analysis [deviance information criterion (DIC) 272.57; I = 3%]. Compared with the placebo, the association verapamil-quinidine shows the highest SUCRA rank score (87%), followed by antazoline (86%), vernakalant (85%), tedisamil at high dose (i.e., 0.6 mg/kg; 80%), amiodarone-ranolazine (80%), lidocaine (78%), dofetilide (77%), and intravenous flecainide (71%). Taking into account the degree of evidence of each individual comparison between pharmacological agents, we have drawn up a ranking of pharmacological agents from the most effective to the least effective.
CONCLUSIONS
In comparing the antiarrhythmic agents used to restore sinus rhythm in the case of paroxysmal AF, vernakalant, amiodarone-ranolazine, flecainide, and ibutilide are the most effective medications. The verapamil-quinidine combination seems promising, though few RCTs have studied it. The incidence of side effects must be taken into account in the choice of antiarrhythmic in clinical practice.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
PROSPERO: International prospective register of systematic reviews, 2022, CRD42022369433 (Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022369433 ).
Topics: Adult; Humans; Atrial Fibrillation; Quinidine; Flecainide; Electric Countershock; Ranolazine; Network Meta-Analysis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Amiodarone; Verapamil
PubMed: 37233967
DOI: 10.1007/s40256-023-00586-5 -
Clinical Cardiology Jun 2023There are limited comparative data on safety and efficacy within commonly used Vaughan-Williams (VW) class III antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) for maintenance of sinus... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
There are limited comparative data on safety and efficacy within commonly used Vaughan-Williams (VW) class III antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) for maintenance of sinus rhythm in adults with atrial fibrillation (AF).
HYPOTHESIS
We hypothesized that dronedarone and sotalol, two commonly prescribed VW class III AADs with class II properties, have different safety and efficacy effects in patients with nonpermanent AF.
METHODS
A systematic literature review was conducted searching MEDLINE®, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) up to June 15, 2021 (NCT05279833). Clinical trials and observational studies that evaluated safety and efficacy of dronedarone or sotalol in adults with AF were included. Bayesian random-effects network meta-analysis (NMA) was used to quantify comparative safety and efficacy. Where feasible, we performed sensitivity analyses by including only randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
RESULTS
Of 3581 records identified through database searches, 37 unique studies (23 RCTs, 13 observational studies, and 1 nonrandomized trial) were included in the NMA. Dronedarone was associated with a statistically significantly lower risk of all-cause death versus sotalol (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.38 [95% credible interval, CrI: 0.19, 0.74]). The association was numerically similar in the sensitivity analysis (HR = 0.46 [95% CrI: 0.21, 1.02]). AF recurrence and cardiovascular death results were not significantly different between dronedarone and sotalol in all-studies and sensitivity analyses.
CONCLUSION
The NMA findings indicate that, across all clinical trials and observational studies included, dronedarone compared with sotalol was associated with a lower risk of all-cause death, but with no difference in AF recurrence.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Amiodarone; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Atrial Fibrillation; Dronedarone; Network Meta-Analysis; Sotalol
PubMed: 37025083
DOI: 10.1002/clc.24011 -
Drugs & Aging Feb 2023Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) can lead to medication-related harm, and the older population is at greatest risk. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) can lead to medication-related harm, and the older population is at greatest risk. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate DDI prevalence and identify common DDIs in older community-dwelling adults.
METHODS
PubMed and EMBASE were searched for observational studies published between 01/01/2010 and 10/05/2021 reporting DDI prevalence in community-dwelling individuals aged ≥ 65 years. Nursing home and inpatient hospital studies were excluded. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model with logit transformation. Heterogeneity was evaluated using Cochran's Q and I. DDI prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are presented. All analyses were performed in R (version 4.1.2).
RESULTS
There were 5144 unique articles identified. Thirty-three studies involving 17,011,291 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥ 65 years met inclusion criteria. Thirty-one studies reported DDI prevalence at the study-participant level, estimates ranged from 0.8% to 90.6%. The pooled DDI prevalence was 28.8% (95% CI 19.3-40.7), with significant heterogeneity (p < 0.10; I = 100%; tau = 2.13) largely explained by the different DDI identification methods. Therefore, 26 studies were qualitatively synthesised and seven studies were eligible for separate meta-analyses. In a meta-analysis of three studies (N = 1122) using Micromedex, pooled DDI prevalence was 57.8% (95% CI 52.2-63.2; I = 69.6%, p < 0.01). In a meta-analysis of two studies (N = 809,113) using Lexi-Interact, pooled DDI prevalence was 30.3% (95% CI 30.2-30.4; I = 6.8%). In a meta-analysis of two studies (N = 947) using the 2015 American Geriatrics Society Beers criteria, pooled DDI prevalence was 16.6% (95% CI 5.6-40.2; I = 97.5%, p < 0.01). Common DDIs frequently involved cardiovascular drugs, including ACE inhibitor-potassium-sparing diuretic; amiodarone-digoxin; and amiodarone-warfarin.
CONCLUSIONS
DDIs are prevalent among older community-dwelling individuals; however, the methodology used to estimate these events varies considerably. A standardised methodology is needed to allow meaningful measurement and comparison of DDI prevalence.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Independent Living; Prevalence; Drug Interactions; Nursing Homes; Skilled Nursing Facilities
PubMed: 36692678
DOI: 10.1007/s40266-022-01001-5 -
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Aug 2023Amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic drug used to prevent supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. It has substantial toxicity; however, the use of...
BACKGROUND
Amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic drug used to prevent supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. It has substantial toxicity; however, the use of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) seems unclear in the absence of a therapeutic range or an association between amiodarone blood concentration and effect. In this review, the authors examined the reported amiodarone blood concentration measurements in the last 10 years and subsequently noted the frequency by which TDM was used to optimize therapy.
METHODS
In March 2022, the Embase and MEDLINE databases were searched for articles published in English in the previous 10 years using the keywords "amiodarone," "therapeutic drug monitoring," or "serum/plasma/blood".
RESULTS
This study included 19 of the 478 articles identified. TDM has not been studied in conjunction with regular amiodarone maintenance therapy. One study used TDM during the initial treatment phase but the amiodarone dose was not changed. In 3 other case reports, TDM was used to guide amiodarone treatment through drug-drug interactions, and plasma levels of the active metabolite mono-N-desethyl-amiodarone (MDEA) verified 2 amiodarone toxicities.
CONCLUSIONS
Because the antiarrhythmic effect of amiodarone is not correlated with blood concentrations and is easily detectable by electrocardiogram, the routine use of TDM in maintenance therapy is controversial, as evidenced by a scarcity of published literature in the recent decade. Furthermore, amiodarone toxicity is evident with normal/low amiodarone or MDEA levels; hence, TDM of amiodarone provides no therapeutic benefit to patients.
Topics: Humans; Amiodarone; Drug Monitoring; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
PubMed: 36631415
DOI: 10.1097/FTD.0000000000001079 -
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine 2022Double sequential external defibrillation (DSED) in cardiopulmonary resuscitation has shown different results in comparison with standard defibrillation in the treatment...
INTRODUCTION
Double sequential external defibrillation (DSED) in cardiopulmonary resuscitation has shown different results in comparison with standard defibrillation in the treatment of refractory ventricular fibrillation (RVF). This review aims to compare the advantages of DSED with standard defibrillation in the treatment of refractory ventricular fibrillation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to May 1, 2022. Studies included adult patients who developed RVF. The study used random-effects and fixed-effects models for meta-analysis, which was reported by risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), mean difference (MD), or standardized mean difference (SMD). The risk of bias in individual studies was assessed using the Robins-I tool for observational studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (ROB-2) tool for clinical trials. Primary outcomes included the termination of RVF, prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to hospital admission, survival to hospital discharge, and good neurological recovery. Secondary outcomes included age, total defibrillation attempts, emergency medical system arrival time, and dose of epinephrine and amiodarone used.
RESULTS
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, 10 studies containing 1347 patients with available data on treatment outcomes were included. The pooled estimate was (RR 1.03, 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.19; = 0.42, = 0.678 > 0.05) for Termination of RVF, (RR 0.84, 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.11; = 1.23, = 0.219 > 0.05) for ROSC, (RR 0.86, 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.06; = 1.4, = 0.162 > 0.05) for survival to hospital admission, (RR 0.77, 95%CI, 0.52 to 1.15; = 1.26, = 0.206 > 0.05) for survival to hospital discharge, (RR 0.65, 95%CI, 0.35 to 1.22; = 1.33, = 0.184 > 0.05) for good neurologic recovery, (MD -1.01, 95%CI, -3.07 to 1.06; = 0.96, = 0.34 > 0.05) for age, (MD 2.27, 95%CI, 1.80 to 2.73; = 9.50, = 0.001 < 0.05) for total defibrillation attempts, (MD 1.10, 95%CI, -0.45 to 66; = 1.39, = 0.16 > 0.05) for emergency medical system arrival time, (SMD 0.34, 95%CI, 0.17 to 0.50; = 4.04, = 0.001 < 0.05) for epinephrine, and (SMD -0.30, 95%CI, -0.65 to -0.05; = 1.66, = 0.1 > 0.05) for amiodarone.
CONCLUSION
We discovered no differences between DSED and standard defibrillation in termination of RVF, prehospital return of spontaneous circulation, survival to hospital admission, survival to hospital discharge, good neurological outcome, emergency medical system arrival time, and amiodarone doses in patients with RVF. There were some differences in the number of defibrillations and epinephrine doses utilized during resuscitation.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=329354], identifier [CRD42022329354].
PubMed: 36505388
DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1017935