Abstract
Atrial fibrillation represents one of the most serious epidemics of cardiovascular diseases for patients in industrially developed countries. The available antiarrhythmic therapy has significant limitations in the form of lack of efficacy and risk of cardiac and extracarddiac side effects.
New and safer antiarrhythmic drugs are been developed, which will hopefully give us a chance to prioritize rhythm control strategy. Dronedarone and vernakalant already broadened the therapeutic portfolio for patients which atrial fibrillation; a series of promising compounds are in the phase of research.
Greater penetration of these new antiarrhythmic drugs in the Czech Republic will still be probably jeopardized by their high cost. Lower effectiveness in the prevention of AF is the price for higher safety and may be offset by new benefits, such as decreased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and reduced risk of stroke.