Efficacy and Safety of Bepridil for Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation after Failed Electrical Cardioversion

Introduction: Bepridil is effective for atrial fibrillation (AF), but it can induce torsades de pointes. Thus we examined the efficacy and safety of bepridil when started at 100 mg/day for AF after failed electrical cardioversion (EC).Methods and Results: We studied 28 consecutive patients (58 ± 12 years old) with failed EC. After administration of bepridil, we examined the time to restore the sinus rhythm, the duration of the maintained sinus rhythm. Our patients were divided into the two groups and various clinical factors were compared, including medication and echocardiographic and electrocardiographic parameters: the SR group who maintained sinus rhythm during followup period and the AF group who still had AF. Sixteen patients (57%) could maintain sinus rhythm (SR group). Adverse arrhythmic events were not observed. There were no significant differences in any clinical factors between the two groups before and after bepridil.Conclusions: Bepridil was effective and safe for persistent AF with failed EC.