Since the dangerous complications of AF result from its abnormal rhythm, logic dictates that restoring a normal rhythm would be the highest priority of therapy.
Although controlling the heart's rate is a good first step for treating atrial fibrillation, some people benefit from restoring a normal rhythm.
Restoring and maintaining normal rhythm is no small feat.
But for now, the tried and true will serve most patients well: slow the racing heart, consider restoring normal rhythm if symptoms persist, and reduce the risk of stroke by preventing clots.
The longer an episode lasts, the harder it is to restore a normal rhythm.
To improve symptoms and reduce stroke risk, doctors may try to restore the normal rhythm of the heart.
The last time he experienced an irregular heartbeat, on Nov. 26, 2007, the doctors at the George Washington hospital also administered an electrical shock and restored a normal rhythm, enabling the vice president to resume his regular schedule at once.
Among the drugs that have been most commonly used for atrial fibrillation, those to restore a normal rhythm, are amiodarone (sold as Cordarone), sotalol (Betapace), propafenone (Rythmol), procainamide, quinidine, flecainide (Tambocor), disopyramide, moricizine and dofetilide (Tikosyn).
Its aim is not to shock the heart to restore its normal rhythm, as an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator would do, but to hold enough charge to keep the pacemaker running while doctors try to revive the patient using an external defibrillator.Tests in pigs and sheep look promising.
In an independent effort, they introduced progressively smaller pieces of DNA from the large region known to contain the gene into embryos of the mutant mice, looking for the smallest piece that would correct the mutation in adult mice and restore a normal rhythm.
Later Wednesday, Cheney will visit George Washington University Hospital for an outpatient procedure to restore his normal rhythm.
