Dronedarone reduces death rate in patients with atrial fibrillation

Results of the recently published ATHENA trial (reported in the New England Journal of Medicine) suggest that dronedar-one is able to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular-related hospitalisation or death in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).
 

The international, double-blind study randomised 4628 patients with AF and at least one other cardiovascular risk factor to receive either 400mg dronedarone twice daily, or placebo. The study was designed to show whether or not dronedarone reduced the incidence of hospitalisation due to cardiovascular events or death. After the mean follow-up of 21 months, the trial found that there were 24% fewer deaths or hospitalisations in the active treatment group compared to placebo (p<0.001). The secondary endpoints included death from any cause, cardiovascular death and hospitalisation for cardiovascular reasons.
Adverse events experienced in the dronedarone group compared with placebo included bradycardia, increased serum creatinine levels, nausea and diarrhoea. Thyroid and pulmonary-related adverse events were not significantly different between groups.