Testing a new class of drug to treat atrial fibrillation

Selective late sodium current blockers as antiarrhythmic drugs in atrial fibrillation

A team of researchers at the University of Bristol, headed by Dr Andrew James, are asking whether a new class of drugs could treat atrial fibrillation, or AF, the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm. AF causes palpitations and breathlessness, and increases the chances of a person suffering a stroke. The condition generally gets worse with time, particularly if not treated effectively. Many of the drugs used to control AF have unpleasant side effects, and cannot be used in patients with some common forms of heart disease. Therefore, we need to find new ways to treat people with AF. Specialised channels on the surface of the cell called sodium channels are vital for a normal heartbeat. Scientists think that drugs targeting sodium channels might control AF without serious side effects. But we don’t currently know enough about how these drugs work and whether they work in different types of AF. In this project, Dr James will work out how these drugs work in rats. He will see if blocking a subset of sodium channels using these drugs could treat AF without causing unwanted side effects. By better understanding how these drugs work, this study could lead to their development as treatments for AF.