New pill which treats abnormal heart rhythm could save thousands of lives every year

Thousands of lives could be saved by a drug which cuts deaths from a common heart rhythm disorder by almost a third.

Findings from the largest trial of its kind show using Multaq led to a 30 per cent reduction in heart deaths caused by atrial fibrillation.

Those using the drug were 25 per cent less likely to need hospital treatment for heart problems or die from any cause, according to data presented at the Heart Rhythm Society Congress in San Francisco.

Doctors say it is the first advance in 20 years in tackling atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, which affect 700,000 Britons.

Many need drug treatment to stabilise a fast and erratic heartbeat that can be deadly or cause serious complications such as angina and heart failure.

In atrial fibrillation the upper chambers of the heart are out of rhythm, which can result in the heart beating at 150 to 170 beats a minute rather than the normal range of 70 to 90.

AF also generates tiny blood clots which are sent around the body and can trigger a stroke. It accounts for a quarter of strokes in the elderly.

Some AF patients go on long-term drug therapy including digoxin, which slows the heart but does not restore its regularity and has been linked to higher death rates.

Another approach is to use drugs to thin the blood followed by a minor electric shock called a cardioversion to try to restore a normal rhythm.

British experts said the Multaq findings could change the way patients are treated.

Dr Edward Rowland, consultant cardiologist at the Heart Hospital, London and president of Heart Rhythm UK, said: "Atrial fibrillation is an enormous problem. The impact on patients and the cost to the NHS is vast.

"Medications are the mainstay of treatment but those currently available have limited effectiveness. Hundreds of thousands of people suffer with AF so a 25 per cent reduction in deaths from any cause could end up with thousands of lives saved."

Dr Jonathan Sahu, lead cardiologist and consultant electrophysiologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospital, said: "This is the first time we have seen a drug that is highly effective in this patient population without causing serious adverse events.

"This is a significant advance for patients who are suffering from atrial fibrillation, offering an improvement in survival and quality of life, and the first new drug offering an advance in treatment in over 20 years."

Trudie Lobban, chief executive officer of the Atrial Fibrillation Association, said "This is really exciting news for patients and their carers. Atrial fibrillation has such a significant impact on all those affected, as well as a huge economic cost."

More than 4,500 AF patients from 33 countries, including the UK, took part in a trial of the effectiveness of Multaq, also known as dronedarone, on top of standard therapy. Half were given a dummy treatment or placebo.

After more than a year, researchers found a 30 per cent cut in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes among those taking the new drug.

They also had a 25 per cent cut in risk of being hospitalised for the first time with any heart problem and a 24 per cent lower risk of being taken into hospital or dying from any cause.

The drug, made by Sanofi-aventis, has now completed the final stage of trials needed to gain a licence for use in the NHS, which could happen as early as next year.