Comparisons of hospitalization rates among younger atrial fibrillation patients receiving different antiarrhythmic drugs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) are used to reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of atrial fibrillation (AF) events, which should reduce hospitalizations; however, little is known about the associations between different AADs and hospitalization—particularly among younger AF patients without structural heart disease.

Methods and results

Using MarketScan® claims data, we identified AF patients without coronary artery disease or heart failure who received their first AAD prescription (amiodarone, sotalol, dronedarone, or Class Ic) within 14 days post-first AF encounter. The primary outcome was time from first AAD prescription to AF hospitalization, and secondary outcomes included time to cardiovascular and all-cause hospitalizations. We used inverse probability-

SUBMITTER: Allen LaPointe NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4561170 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature