[Pharmacological cardioversion of atrial fibrillation with intravenous and oral propafenone].

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous and oral propafenone for termination of recent onset (<48 hrs) atrial fibrillation. Forty-seven nonvalvular patients with atrial fibrillation were included in the study. Sinus rhythm was restored in 19/31 (61.3%) patients after intravenous treatment: in 15/31 (48.4%) atrial fibrillation was stopped after bolus of propafenone in dose of 2 mg/kg body weight, in 4/16 (25.0%) - by followed infusion of medicine in dose of 0.008 mg/kg/min during 2 hrs. A single 600 mg oral dose of propafenone restored sinus rhythm in 9/16 (56.2%) patients during 4 hrs. Transformation of atrial fibrillation into regular atrial flutter was observed in 4 cases; in 1 of them right bundle branch block developed.