The use of antiarrhythmic drugs for atrial fibrillation in Finland 2007–2018




Siponen, Rasmus; Hartikainen, Juha; Virrankorpi, Janne; Lappalainen, Antti; Teppo, Konsta; Halminen, Olli; Aro, Aapo; Marjamaa, Annukka; Salmela, Birgitta; Haukka, Jari; Putaala, Jukka; Linna, Miika; Mustonen, Pirjo; Airaksinen, Juhani; Lehto, Mika

PublisherInforma UK Limited

ABINGDON

2025

Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal

Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal

SCAND CARDIOVASC J

2467735

59

1

8

1401-7431

1651-2006

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1080/14017431.2025.2467735(external)

https://doi.org/10.1080/14017431.2025.2467735(external)

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/491344278(external)



Background

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are often treated with antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) to maintain sinus rhythm and with heart rate-lowering drugs to achieve the optimal rate control. In this study, we investigated trends in the use of AADs and rate control drugs in Finnish patients with AF.

Methods and results

The Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) study is a nationwide study including all patients with AF in Finland from 2007 to 2018. The number of AAD purchases and the proportions of all prevalent AF patients in a certain year of interest were calculated. In total, 391030 AF patients were identified between 2007 and 2018, and 39,816 (10.2%) of them had purchased either class I or III AADs. The proportion of patients using classes I and III AADs decreased from 8.6% to 6.3%. Flecainide and amiodarone were the most often used AADs. The use of flecainide and amiodarone decreased from 4.9% to 3.9% and 1.9% to 1.5%, respectively. The proportion of patients on beta-blockers remained stable at 75%. Dronedarone became available in 2011 when it also was the most used (0.8% of patients), but the use decreased thereafter. The use of sotalol and digoxin decreased from 1.5% to 0.6% and 24.6% to 11.0% over the study period.

Conclusion

The number of AAD purchases increased alongside with the increasing prevalence of AF, whereas the proportion of AF patients on classes I and III AADs and digoxin decreased between 2007 and 2018. Flecainide remained the most used AAD followed by amiodarone.


This work was supported by Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District Research Fund (TYH2019309 and TYH2023319), The Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Aarne Koskelo Foundation, Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation and Sigrid Juselius Foundation.


Last updated on 2025-08-04 at 12:35