[Digitalis in atrial fibrillation. Still relevant treatment or an old-fashioned therapy?].

The scientific validation of digitalis as the routine treatment for atrial fibrillation is far from satisfactory. Whereas digitalis reduces the ventricular rate at rest, patients may still experience a too rapid heart rate during exercise unless additional drugs are given to reduce atrio-ventricular conduction. Digitalis is often prescribed in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation despite lack of documentation of benefit from this treatment. Finally, digitalis may cause proarrhytmias, and a prothrombotic drug effect cannot be excluded.