Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40222944›Full record

ArticleInternal medicine (Tokyo, Japan)2025

Intravenous Verapamil for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation: The Gap Between the Guidelines and Clinical Practice.

Yuichi Baba, Toru Kubo, Kei Kawada, Yuri Ochi, Takayoshi Hirota, Naohito Yamasaki, Hiroaki Kitaoka

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Yuichi BabaDepartment of Cardiology and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan.
Toru KuboDepartment of Cardiology and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan.
Kei KawadaDepartment of Pharmacy, Kochi Medical School Hospital, Japan.
Yuri OchiDepartment of Cardiology and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan.
Takayoshi HirotaDepartment of Cardiology and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan.
Naohito YamasakiDepartment of Cardiology and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan.
Hiroaki KitaokaDepartment of Cardiology and Geriatrics, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective According to the current guidelines, the use of non-dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers for the rate control of atrial fibrillation (AF) is contraindicated in patients with heart failure (HF), especially in those with a reduced ejection fraction (EF). However, there is little data supporting this recommendation. This study aimed to investigate the use of intravenous verapamil in patients with AF. Methods We retrospectively studied 223 consecutive patients with AF treated with intravenous verapamil. We evaluated the clinical data of these patients, including any adverse events that occurred within 7 days. Results The median age of the patients was 75.9 (67.8-80.7) years. Before administration, 71 patients (31.8%) had HF, 112 patients (62.6%) had a high B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level, and 28 patients (13.6%) had a left ventricular (LV) EF less than 50%. The mean administered dose of verapamil was 5.4±1.6 mg. The median heart rate (HR) was significantly reduced after verapamil administration [HR:145 (130-160) bpm to 95 (82-105) bpm, p<0.001]. Twenty-eight patients (12.6%) suffered from hypotension. Two patients had bradyarrhythmias. Within 7 days, cardiovascular death occurred in three patients (1.3%). A multivariate analysis revealed that pre sBP and hemoglobin, but not LVEF or BNP, were independently associated with adverse events. Conclusion The intravenous administration of verapamil appears to be effective and safe for controlling the heart rate in most patients with AF, except in critically ill patients. However, further research is required to assess the safety of verapamil in patients for whom its use is not currently recommended by the clinical guidelines.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationCalcium Channel BlockersPractice Guidelines as TopicVerapamilAgedAged, 80 and overAnti-Arrhythmia AgentsFemaleHeart FailureHeart RateHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesAnti-Arrhythmia AgentsCalcium Channel BlockersVerapamilatrial fibrillationheart failurenon-dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockersrate controlverapamil

Identifiers

PMID40222944
PMCPMC12589163

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.