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Drugs after Cardioversion to Prevent Relapses of Chronic Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter

  • Chapter
Atrial Fibrillation, a Treatable Disease?

Part of the book series: Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine ((DICM,volume 139))

Abstract

Electrical cardioversion is the method of choice to restore sinus rhythm in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation or flutter. After this intervention, maintenance of sinus rhythm is a challenge to the clinician, since these arrhythmias have a high tendency to recur[1,2]. In addition, arrhythmic and hemodynamic complications associated with a recurrence, hazards of prophylactic drug therapy and risk of postcardioversion stroke are among the problems threatening these patients. This chapter deals with the pharmacologic treatment modalities in the prevention of recurrences of chronic atrial fibrillation and flutter. Prevention of thromboembolism is discussed elsewhere in this book.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands

    Harry J. G. M. Crijns, A. T. Marcel Gosselink, Isabelle C. van Gelder, Ans C. P. Wiesfeld, Maarten P. van den Berg, Ype S. Tuininga & Kong I. Lie

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  1. Harry J. G. M. Crijns
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  2. A. T. Marcel Gosselink
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  3. Isabelle C. van Gelder
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  4. Ans C. P. Wiesfeld
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  5. Maarten P. van den Berg
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  6. Ype S. Tuininga
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  7. Kong I. Lie
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

    J. H. Kingma  & N. M. van Hemel  & 

  2. Department of Cardiology, Thorax-center, University Hospital Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    K. I. Lie

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Crijns, H.J.G.M. et al. (1992). Drugs after Cardioversion to Prevent Relapses of Chronic Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter. In: Kingma, J.H., van Hemel, N.M., Lie, K.I. (eds) Atrial Fibrillation, a Treatable Disease?. Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine, vol 139. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1816-3_7

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