Current Antiarrhythmic Therapy for Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation in Spain. Data From the FANTASIIA Registry

Recently, there have been many developments in the management of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, antiarrhythmic and anticoagulant therapy, and nonpharmacological treatment, but these developments are not applied immediately in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to identify the overall management and antiarrhythmic therapy used in the current general population of patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in Spain.

A prospective, observational study of 1318 consecutive anticoagulated patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, recruited between June 2013 and March 2014. We analyzed the patients' general characteristics, management, and antiarrhythmic therapy.

Mean age was 73.8 ± 9.4 years; 42.5% were women. Atrial fibrillation was paroxysmal in 28% of the patients, permanent in 50%, persistent in 17.6%, long-standing persistent in 4.5%, and new-onset in 66 patients (5%). A rhythm control strategy was chosen in 39.4% of the patients and rate control in 60.6%. Beta-blockers were prescribed in 60.2% of the patients, digoxin in 19.5%, and calcium channel antagonists in 10.7%. The antiarrhythmic agents used were amiodarone (12.6%), flecainide (8.9%), propafenone (0.4%), sotalol (0.5%), and dronedarone (2.3%). Cardioversion had been performed previously in 41.9% of the patients, ablation in 3.4%, and atrial appendage closure in 0.2%.

Currently, patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in Spain are managed mainly with rate control, and beta-blockers in particular. They receive few antiarrhythmic agents and only a very small number of these patients undergo nonpharmacological treatments.