New Formulations of Propafenone to Treat Atrial Fibrillation
New Formulations of Propafenone to Treat Atrial Fibrillation
Propafenone is a currently used medicine to treat atrial fibrillation and is a mixture of two
 compounds, (R)-propafenone and (S)-propafenone. In this study, the investigators will
 randomize participants to (R)-propafenone, (S)-propafenone, or placebo.
Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia that needs development of more effective
 medications. Propafenone is a medicine currently used to treat atrial fibrillation and is a
 mixture of two compounds, (R)-propafenone and (S)-propafenone. The investigators have
 discovered that purified (R)-propafenone may be more effective than (S)-propafenone for
 treatment of atrial fibrillation, and that (S)-propafenone reduces the efficacy of
 (R)-propafenone when administered as a mixture. This study will compare the ability of
 (R)-propafenone, (S)-propafenone, and placebo to suppress the induction of atrial
 fibrillation in participants undergoing an atrial fibrillation ablation procedure.
Inclusion:

 1. History of atrial fibrillation

 2. Greater than or equal to 18 years of age

 3. Scheduled to undergo an atrial fibrillation ablation procedure

 4. Able to provide written informed consent

 Exclusion:

 1. Long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation at the time of ablation (greater than 1
 year of a continuous atrial fibrillation episode)

 2. Is in atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter the morning of the ablation procedure

 3. The presence of any of the following in a patient without a permanent pacemaker for
 implantable cardiac defibrillator

 1. sick sinus syndrome indicated by the inability to previously tolerate an
 antiarrhythmic drug due to bradycardia

 2. sinus bradycardia with a heart rate less than 50 beats per minute at the time of
 study drug administration

 3. right bundle branch block, left bundle branch block, or bifascicular block

 4. PR-interval > 280ms, or history of 2nd or 3rd degree atrioventricular block

 4. Concomitant use of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 inhibitors

 5. Previous surgical or catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation or Cox-Maze procedure

 6. Amiodarone use within 3 months prior to enrollment

 7. Antiarrhythmic drug (other than amiodarone) within 5 half-lives prior to atrial
 fibrillation ablation

 8. Expected life span < 1 year

 9. Creatinine clearance <30 mL/min

 10. Reversible cause of atrial fibrillation (ie. thyrotoxicosis)

 11. Unrevascularized coronary artery disease

 12. Canadian class IV angina

 13. Left ventricular ejection fraction <40%

 14. New York Heart Association Class III or IV symptoms

 15. Previous heart transplantation

 16. Planned heart transplantation or ventricular assist device

 17. Cardiac/thoracic surgery <6 months prior to enrollment

 18. Severe asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

 19. Breastfeeding