Atrial Fibrillation and Flecainide – Safety, Effectiveness and Quality of Life Outcomes

Abstract

Flecainide is a class IC antiarrhythmic agent indicated for patients with atrial fibrillation without any evidence of structural heart disease. This brief review of four recent studies on flecainide focuses on safety aspects, efficacy and the debate on impact on quality of life in this patient population. This article also briefly summarises data from the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) and the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) study, which investigated the effect of antiarrhythmics such as flecainide on morbidity and mortality. When administered according to recommended guidelines, flecainide is safe and is not associated with increased mortality. It is effective for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, improving quality of life in these patients.