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CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 31, No 5, September/October 2020
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The researchers were interested to see that over half of
the patients who received the drug did not need a shock
to restore their regular heart rhythm. They recommend
that physicians try the drug cardioversion first, to avoid
unnecessary sedation.
‘If I have a patient on a drug infusion, I can see other
patients at the same time,’ said Dr Jeffrey Perry, study
co-author and senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital and
professor at the University of Ottawa. ‘To do an electrical
cardioversion, I need to find another doctor, a nurse and
a respiratory therapist, and it takes time to assemble those
people.’
The researchers note that patients often have a strong
preference for one kind of cardioversion over the other,
especially if they need it done regularly. ‘While we believe
that there are advantages to trying the drug infusion before
the shock, the treatment choice is ultimately a shared
decision between the patient and physician,’ said Perry. While
cardioversion is common in Canada, it isn’t as well known in
other parts of the world.
‘In some countries, patients with acute atrial fibrillation
are sent home with pills to slow their heart rate, while others
are admitted to hospital,’ said Stiell. ‘Our study showed
that cardioversion in the emergency department is safe and
effective. We hope our results convince more physicians
around the world to adopt these methods.’
‘Given the crowding which exists in the emergency
healthcare setting, the Canadian Institutes of Health
Research (CIHR) is proud to support this high-quality
research that enhances evidence-informed clinical decisions
in the transitions of care for patients with atrial fibrillation,’
said Dr Brian Rowe, study co-author, scientific director of
the CIHR’s Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health,
and professor of emergency medicine at the University of
Alberta.
Source
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