[Prevention of recurrences of atrial fibrillation by cardiologists established in general office practice: data from the FAUVE observatory].

OBJECTIVES

Analyse the modalities of preventive therapy of recurrences of paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) with Vaughan-Williams (VW) type IC antiarrhythmics.

METHODS

Observational study conducted with 326 French cardiologists established in general office practice, involving on the one hand an opinion survey among the cardiologists and on the other hand a cross-sectional observatory of usual medical practice. Each cardiologist was asked to include two patients aged less than 65 with non-permanent (paroxysmal or persistent) AF without left ventricle dysfunction (LVD) and initiated on treatment with a VW type IC antiarrhythmic after cardioversion to sinus rhythm.

RESULTS

The opinion survey among the cardiologists indicates that non-permanent AF constitutes 36.1% of AF cases, of which 57.8% concern LVD-free patients. Most cardiologists (85%) declare to institute a preventive therapy of AF recurrences in 70-100% of these patients after cardioversion to sinus rhythm, with a VW type IC antiarrhythmic in more than 50% of cases. Of the 633 patients included in the FAUVE observatory, mainly men, 409 (64.6%) had paroxysmal AF and 224 (35.4%) had persistent AF. Analysis of therapeutic management shows that both alteration of the previous treatment and the choice of a VW type IC antiarrhythmic are based chiefly on efficacy and on tolerability of the antiarrhythmic therapy.

CONCLUSION

VW type IC antiarrhythmics constitute a therapy of choice for the maintenance of sinus rhythm in non-aged and LVD-free patients with non-permanent AF.