A comparison of cardioversion of atrial fibrillation using oral amiodarone, intravenous amiodarone and DC cardioversion.

Fifty-two consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation underwent 86 episodes of attempted cardioversion with oral amiodarone, intravenous amiodarone or DC cardioversion. The presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or a presenting heart rate of less than 110 beats per minute were associated with a favourable outcome. Conversion to sinus rhythm was achieved in 29% of the group treated with oral amiodarone, 42% of the group treated with DC cardioversion and 64% of the group given intravenous amiodarone. The overall statistical significance of this distribution on chi square testing was p < 0.032. However when only first attempts at cardioversion were analyzed there was no difference between intravenous amiodarone and DC cardioversion.