Writing in an editorial in the BMJ, cardiologists from The Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield said that NICE guidance published in June 2006 ‘departed from historical practice’ by recommending the use of beta adrenoceptor blockers or rate limiting calcium antagonists instead of digoxin for initial monotherapy in AF patients.
Using online medical databases, the cardiologists were able to review 57 studies, including 25 randomised double blind controlled trials, assessing digoxin, beta-blockers and calcium antagonists for rate control in chronic AF.
Only one study showed that beta-blockers were better than digoxin in controlling heart rate at rest.
They concluded that: ‘The combination of digoxin and a beta-blocker or calcium antagonist should be recommended as first line management.’
sanjay.tanday@haymarket.com
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