Pharmacogenomics of Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation

Individuals vary in their responses to therapy with most cardiovascular drugs. Indeed, responses to antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) are so highly variable that improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms has helped formulate a framework to better define the genetic and molecular mechanisms of drug action in general. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia requiring AAD therapy. There is emerging evidence that susceptibility to and response to therapy for AF is in part modulated by the underlying genetic substrate. This article discusses contemporary genetic approaches that have been applied to not only elucidate the underlying genetic mechanisms of AF but also better understand variability in AAD response.