Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation Cardioversion: Experience of the Cardiology department of Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital

Abstract

anticoagulation therapy would be the removal of this arrhythmia and any future recurrence, a goal often difficult to achieve.The aim of this work is to evaluate the efficacy of atrial fibrillation cardioversion as well as the success predictive factors of sinus rhythm maintenance at one year following a successful cardioversion. Materials and methods: 50 patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation underwent cardioversion: 70% by electrical shock and 30% by pharmacological means, the clinical characteristics of the patients the results of cardioversion and follow-up were collected and analyzed. Results: The average age of our patients was 53 years with a sex ratio of 2. 30% of patients had hypertensive heart disease, 8% ischemic heart disease, 8% dilated cardiomyopathy and the rest had no underlying heart disease. The average diameter of the left atrium was 41 mm and the average surface area was 20 cm². Primary success rate of cardioversion was 82% with better efficacy of electric shock compared to pharmacological cardioversion. The maintenance rate of sinus rhythm at 1 year was 70%. Predictive factors of failure and / or recurrence at 1 year were old atrial fibrillation and significant dilation of the left atrium. Conclusion: This study confirms the interest of atrial fibrillation cardioversion and underlines the importance of preliminary selection of the patients, such a selection must be made on the basis of the predictive factors of success usually recognized in the literature.