Starting statins after ablation for atrial fibrillation doesn’t help prevent arrhythmia recurrence, researchers reported in a randomized trial. Recurrence of symptomatic atrial fibrillation at three months occurred at a rate of 5% with atorvastatin (Lipitor) and 6.5% with placebo (P=0.75), Paul Friedman, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues reported. These results in patients without standard cardiovascular indications for statins suggested no reason for routine administration to prevent periprocedural arrhythmias either, the group suggested here at the Heart Rhythm Society meeting.
