Efficiency of Electrical Cardioversion of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in the Use of Bipolar QuasiSinusoidal Impulse in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Objective: to study the dose-dependent efficacy of bipolar quasisinusoidal (BPQS) impulse in eliminating 24—48-hour atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with different clinical forms and course of coronary heart disease (CHD) and different transthoracic resistance (TTR). Subjects and method. Ninety-seven patients (103 AF episodes) who had undergone transthoracic electrical cardioversion (ECV) with a BPQS impulse according to the protocol of dose escalation (from 1—2 to 5 discharges) were analyzed. The discharge power range was from ≤40—65 to 195 J. The diameter of electrodes was 12 cm; its location was anterolateral. Results. Elimination of 70% of the AF episodes required 1—2 discharges; that of 18.3 and 11.7% of the episodes needed 3 and 4—5 discharges, respectively. Low-power (40—85 J) discharges were found to be highly effective (90%) in eliminating 24-hour AF; ~90% ECV success was recorded in patients with 28—48-hour episodes when greater power (≤115 J) discharges were applied to 17% of the patients. The total success rate for cardioversion was 94.2%; that of emergency ECV was 81% (p=0.022). The ECV success rate was 88.6% in patients with clinically relevant and severe (acute chronic) heart failure (HF), 98% in those with mild HF and without its clinical signs (p