Efficacy of pentamidine analogue 6 in dogs with chronic atrial fibrillation.

Background: The inward rectifier inhibitor pentamidine analogue 6 (PA-6) is effective in cardioversion of goats with persistent rapid pacing induced atrial fibrillation (AF) and is not proarrhythmic in dogs with experimental chronic 3rd-degree AV block. Efficacy and safety in the clinical setting are unknown.

Hypothesis: That PA-6 would be effective in converting AF to sinus rhythm (SR) in dogs with naturally occurring AF, without the presence of overt adverse effects.