A Randomized Study of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blocker vs Dihydropidine Ca Antagonist for Treatment of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Hypertension

INTERVENTION: ARB Group: candesartan will be prescribed with an initial dose of 8 mg/day (maximal dose 12 mg/day) CCB Group: amlodipine will be prescribed with an initial dose of 2.5 mg/day (maximal dose 5 mg/day) CONDITION: Atrial Fibrillation with Hypertension PRIMARY OUTCOME: the difference in the number of days with symptomatic and asymptomatic AF recorded on transtelephonic monitoring during the last 1 month of a 1‐year follow‐up between candesartan and amlodipine groups SECONDARY OUTCOME: (1) cardiovascular events, which include cardiac death, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, and congestive heart failure or major bleeding requiring hospitalization (2) the development of paroxysmal AF into persistent AF lasting 7days or more, and/or requiring electrical conversion (3) quality of life assessed by the AFQLQ (Atrial Fibrillation specific Quality of Life Questionnaire) (4) left atrial dimension in ultrasound echocardiography (5) the number of days with symptomatic TTM‐recorded AF (6) the time‐course of the number of days with TTM‐recorded AF per month after entering the study INCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients entering this study need to meet both of the following criteria: (1) a history of paroxysmal AF within 6 months, and (2) hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure (BP) > 140 mmHg and/or a diastolic BP > 90 mmHg. Paroxysmal AF should be a spontaneously terminating episode demonstrated on ECG.