Recent advances in arrhythmia therapy: treatment and prevention of atrial fibrillation.

Current therapy for atrial fibrillation is divided into rhythm control agents and rate control agents. Although class III antiarrhythmic agents are being used increasingly for both conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm and prevention of recurrence, most pharmacological approaches under active investigation, including azimilide and dronedarone, are compounds with multiple electrophysiological actions. Based on the current knowledge of the mechanisms involved in atrial fibrillation initiation and maintenance, novel approaches targeting the intracellular calcium overload are being investigated.