A new study has found that oral Propafenone may work just as well as IV Amiodarone in converting recent-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) to sinus rhythm — and perhaps even faster. The results of this study were reported July 29th at the International Academy of Cardiology 18th World Congress on Heart Disease in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

“This is particularly important in countries with limited resources, in which the number of antiarrhythmic medications available, especially in small and remote hospitals, is quite limited. Having an oral regimen as good as the parenteral regimen that acts faster is appealing and may also help cut the expenses of a long hospital stay,” said the study’s lead investigator Dr. Hesham S. Taha of Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, in an email to Reuters Health.

Taha and his team conducted their study by using a randomized trial to compare the efficacy and speed of conversion of recent onset AF by oral Propafenone against IV Amiodarone. For each of the study’s 50 participants, the onset of the AF had occurred within 48 hours. What they found was that the patient’s AF was converted to proper sinus rhythm in 88 percent of the patients taking the IV Amiodarone and 84 percent in the patients using Propafenone. However, it should be noted that the conversion took 9 hours for those taking Amiodarone and 3 hours for those taking the Propafenone. There weren’t many side effects in either group.

“This real-life study answers the practical and frequently-asked question as to which antiarrhythmic medication to use in patients with recent onset atrial fibrillation in whom a rhythm control strategy is chosen,” said Taha.

AF is also treated with various different anticoagulant medications. AF is a condition that is characterized by patients suffering from fluttering heartbeats and irregular heartbeats. One of those anticoagulant drugs used is Multaq. Multaq is made by Sanofi-Aventis and has been linked to serious side effects, including a worsening of the heart condition, liver failure and lung toxicity. It is for this reason that the FDA has recommended that doctors only prescribe Multaq if all other medications fail to work.

If you or a loved one has suffered from liver failure or a worsening heart condition after being treated with Multaq, contact the attorneys at Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting Multaq lawsuits and may be able to help you recover money for your injuries.