[Comparison between therapeutic effects of acupuncture and intravenous injection of amiodarone in the treatment of paroxymal atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter]

Author(s): Xu HK, Zhang YF

Affiliation(s): Liaocheng Hospital of TCM, Shandong 252000, China. zcl@lcu.edu.cn

Publication date & source: 2007-02, Zhongguo Zhen Jiu., 27(2):96-8.

Publication type: Comparative Study; English Abstract; Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: To probe the feasibility of acupuncture in conversion of paroxymal atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. METHODS: Eighty cases of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter were randomly divided into 2 groups, a treatment group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Danzhong (CV 17) and others, and the control group with intravenous injection of amiodarone. The cardiac rhythms and side effects were observed in the two groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate of 85.0% in the treatment group was better than 67.5% in the control group (P < 0.01). The average conversion time was (39.6 +/- 13.7) min in the treatment group and (50.1 +/- 14.8) min in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). No adverse effect was found in the treatment group. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture is a safe and effective therapy for conversion of paroxymal atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.