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Digitalis: a dangerous drug in atrial fibrillation? An analysis of the SPORTIF III and V data

Gjesdal, K ; Feyzi, J and Olsson, Bertil LU (2008) In Heart 94(2). p.191-196
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: In heart failure, digitalis increases exercise capacity and reduces morbidity, but has no effect on survival. This raises the suspicion that the inotropic benefits of digitalis may be counteracted by serious adverse effects. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) were studied to clarify this. DESIGN: In the Stroke Prevention using an ORal Thrombin Inhibitor in atrial Fibrillation (SPORTIF) III and V studies, 7329 patients with AF at moderate-to-high risk were randomised to preventive treatment of thromboembolism, either with warfarin or the oral direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran. The survival of users and non-users of digitalis was investigated. RESULTS: At baseline, 53.4% of the study population used digitalis, and these... (More)
OBJECTIVE: In heart failure, digitalis increases exercise capacity and reduces morbidity, but has no effect on survival. This raises the suspicion that the inotropic benefits of digitalis may be counteracted by serious adverse effects. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) were studied to clarify this. DESIGN: In the Stroke Prevention using an ORal Thrombin Inhibitor in atrial Fibrillation (SPORTIF) III and V studies, 7329 patients with AF at moderate-to-high risk were randomised to preventive treatment of thromboembolism, either with warfarin or the oral direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran. The survival of users and non-users of digitalis was investigated. RESULTS: At baseline, 53.4% of the study population used digitalis, and these patients had a higher mortality than non-users (255/3911 (6.5%) vs 141/3418 (4.1%), p<0.001; hazard ratio (HR) = 1.58 (95% CI 1.29 to 1.94)). Digitalis users also had more baseline risk factors. After multivariate risk factor adjustment, the increased mortality persisted (p<0.001; HR = 1.53 (95% CI 1.22 to 1.92 vs 1.23 to 1.92)). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that digitalis, like other inotropic drugs, may increase mortality. This may be concealed in heart failure, but be revealed in patients with AF, who need the rate-reducing effect of digitalis, but do not benefit much from an increased inotropy. Cautious interpretation of the data is mandatory since the patients were not randomised with respect to digitalis use. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Heart
volume
94
issue
2
pages
191 - 196
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:17483128
  • wos:000252745800016
  • scopus:38749126254
  • pmid:17483128
ISSN
1355-6037
DOI
10.1136/hrt.2006.108399
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0e2f3ec2-67fe-4710-92c5-8df02675007d (old id 1144609)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:29:04
date last changed
2022-01-27 05:43:11
@article{0e2f3ec2-67fe-4710-92c5-8df02675007d,
  abstract     = {{OBJECTIVE: In heart failure, digitalis increases exercise capacity and reduces morbidity, but has no effect on survival. This raises the suspicion that the inotropic benefits of digitalis may be counteracted by serious adverse effects. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) were studied to clarify this. DESIGN: In the Stroke Prevention using an ORal Thrombin Inhibitor in atrial Fibrillation (SPORTIF) III and V studies, 7329 patients with AF at moderate-to-high risk were randomised to preventive treatment of thromboembolism, either with warfarin or the oral direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran. The survival of users and non-users of digitalis was investigated. RESULTS: At baseline, 53.4% of the study population used digitalis, and these patients had a higher mortality than non-users (255/3911 (6.5%) vs 141/3418 (4.1%), p&lt;0.001; hazard ratio (HR) = 1.58 (95% CI 1.29 to 1.94)). Digitalis users also had more baseline risk factors. After multivariate risk factor adjustment, the increased mortality persisted (p&lt;0.001; HR = 1.53 (95% CI 1.22 to 1.92 vs 1.23 to 1.92)). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that digitalis, like other inotropic drugs, may increase mortality. This may be concealed in heart failure, but be revealed in patients with AF, who need the rate-reducing effect of digitalis, but do not benefit much from an increased inotropy. Cautious interpretation of the data is mandatory since the patients were not randomised with respect to digitalis use.}},
  author       = {{Gjesdal, K and Feyzi, J and Olsson, Bertil}},
  issn         = {{1355-6037}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{191--196}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Heart}},
  title        = {{Digitalis: a dangerous drug in atrial fibrillation? An analysis of the SPORTIF III and V data}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/hrt.2006.108399}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/hrt.2006.108399}},
  volume       = {{94}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}