HRS: Investigational Drug Offers Gentler Afib Remedy
| By Peggy Peck, Executive Editor, MedPage Today Published: May 18, 2009 Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. |
BOSTON, May 18 -- An investigational antiarrhythmic drug may be as effective as amiodarone for treatment of paroxymal atrial fibrillation, but less toxic, researchers here reported.
Budiodarone is a chemical analogue of amiodarone with two important differences -- a shorter half-life and improved clearance mechanism, both of which appear to make the drug a softer, gentler amiodarone.
Dr. Ezekowitz reported results of the trial, called PASCAL, at a late-breaking clinical trials plenary session at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society. /.../
Action Points
Patients who took 600 mg of budiodarone twice a day in a Phase II trial reduced atrial fibrillation burden by a median of 75.5% compared with placebo, according to Michael Ezekowitz, M.B. Ch.B., D.Phil., of Lankenau Institute for Medical Research in Wynnewood, Pa. Budiodarone is a chemical analogue of amiodarone with two important differences -- a shorter half-life and improved clearance mechanism, both of which appear to make the drug a softer, gentler amiodarone.
Dr. Ezekowitz reported results of the trial, called PASCAL, at a late-breaking clinical trials plenary session at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society. /.../
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