About the journal

Cobiss

Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo 2015 Volume 143, Issue 9-10, Pages: 551-558
https://doi.org/10.2298/SARH1510551P
Full text ( 248 KB)


Approach to the treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with cardiovascular risk profile: Multicentric international study

Pavlović Siniša U. ORCID iD icon (Clinical Center of Serbia, Pacemaker center, Belgrade + School of Medicine, Belgrade)
Kirćanski Bratislav (Clinical Center of Serbia, Pacemaker center, Belgrade)
Radovanović Nikola (Clinical Center of Serbia, Pacemaker center, Belgrade)
Raspopović Srđan (Clinical Center of Serbia, Pacemaker center, Belgrade)
Jovanović Velibor (Clinical Center of Serbia, Pacemaker center, Belgrade)
Nikčević Gabrijela (Clinical Center of Serbia, Pacemaker center, Belgrade)
Živković Mirjana (Clinical Center of Serbia, Pacemaker center, Belgrade)
Milašinović Goran (Clinical Center of Serbia, Pacemaker center, Belgrade + School of Medicine, Belgrade)

Introduction. Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia that requires treatment, does not come out of the focus of researchers. Monitoring its prevalence and effects of therapy is a good guideline approach to the growing population of patients in which this arrhythmia occurs. Objective. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of treatment of AF and cardiovascular profiles in the observed population. Methods. In this observational, cross-sectional, multicenter, international study, 584 patients in 30 centers in Serbia and Slovenia, older than 18 years and with AF or in sinus rhythm with a history of AF, were included. The assessment of the efficacy of treatment of AF was performed by analyzing the frequency of adequate therapeutic effect of medication in rhythm or frequency control in patients with AF. Results. The results confirmed that the highest incidence of AF duration is more than seven days, and is accompanied by symptoms. Inadequate frequency regulation was registered at 8.9% of patients. Hypertension was registered in two-thirds of all patients, while other cardiovascular risk factors were registered in about one-third of patients. An echocardiographic finding in the group of patients with AF confirms generally adequate left ventricular function with a slightly enlarged left atrium (4.6±0.8 cm). Increasing age and time from the first episode of AF decreases the probability of maintaining sinus rhythm, while symptomatic AF had a positive impact on the presence of sinus rhythm. Propafenone, sotalol and amiodarone showed a statistically significant connection with a positive therapeutic response, while β-blockers had a negative impact on the probability of establishing and maintaining sinus rhythm. Conclusion. Characteristics of therapeutic approaches, risks, comorbidity of patient populations in Slovenia and Serbia correspond to the fullest extent with the recommendations for good clinical practice, which further stresses the need for extensive measures in these regions.

Keywords: atrial fibrillation, cardiovascular risk factors, treatment