Back to Archived Journals » Core Evidence » Volume 5

Dronedarone: evidence supporting its therapeutic use in the treatment of atrial fibrillation

Authors Sullivan, Olshansky B

Published 15 September 2010 Volume 2010:5 Pages 49—59

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/CE.S7015

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3



Renee M Sullivan, Brian Olshansky
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

Introduction: Dronedarone, a benzofuran derivative with a structure similar to amiodarone, has been developed as a potential therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation.
Aim: To review the published evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of dronedarone use in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Evidence review: Available evidence suggests that dronedarone 400 mg orally twice daily can lengthen the time to and decrease the overall recurrence of atrial fibrillation compared with placebo. Dronedarone may reduce risk of mortality and cardiovascular hospitalization. Patients with atrial fibrillation receiving dronedarone had improved ventricular rate control compared with patients receiving placebo. Dronedarone is associated with few serious adverse events except, notably, in patients with decompensated heart failure.
Place in therapy: Dronedarone may have a role in rate and rhythm control for patients with atrial fibrillation. Dronedarone can reduce unique, but potentially serious, end points in patients with atrial fibrillation. Despite this, the exact role of dronedarone in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation continues to emerge. It remains uncertain if dronedarone should be considered a primary treatment strategy for atrial fibrillation. Dronedarone should not be administered to patients with decompensated heart failure.
Conclusion: Dronedarone is a unique drug that may serve a key role to treat patients with atrial fibrillation.

Keywords: dronedarone, atrial fibrillation

Creative Commons License © 2010 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.