Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of dronedarone in the treatment of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Methods A total of 56 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were randomly divided into treatment group with 29 cases and control group with 27 cases. Patients in both groups were conducted with relevant assessments before enrollment, the contraindications to anticoagulation were also excluded, and then routine anticoagulation therapy was performed; the patients in the treatment group took dronedarone hydrochloride tablets orally for three consecutive months. Before and after treatment, number of times of atrial fibrillation attack, the maximum duration of a single atrial fibrillation attack, change of sinus resting heart rate, cardiac function indicators left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVDd), left atrial diameter (LAD), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)and adverse reactions were compared between two groups.

Results After treatment, the total number of times of atrial fibrillation attack and sinus resting heart rate in the treatment group decreased significantly when compared to those before treatment, and the longest duration of atrial fibrillation attack shortened significantly (P < 0.05); after treatment, the total number of times of atrial fibrillation attack and sinus resting heart rate in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the longest duration of atrial fibrillation attack was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, LVEF in the treatment group increased significantly when compared to that before treatment, while LVDd, LAD and NT-proBNP decreased significantly when compared to those before treatment (P < 0.05); after treatment, LVEF in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group, while LVDd, LAD and NT-proBNP were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the incidence of adverse reactions in the control group was 7.41%, which showed no significant difference when compared to 6.90% in the treatment group (P>0.05).

Conclusion Dronedarone can effectively control the ventricular rate of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, shorten the duration of atrial fibrillation attack, reduce the frequency of atrial fibrillation attack, maintain sinus rhythm, improve cardiac function indicators, and cause less adverse reactions.