Current state of treatment strategies for atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of persistent cardiac arrhythmia with a greatly increasing prevalence due to an aging population and increasing cardiovascular risk factors. Apart from impairment of the quality of life atrial fibrillation is associated with a high morbidity, most importantly stroke and heart failure. The therapy is complex and aims at improving symptoms as well as the prevention of thromboembolic complications, heart failure and aggravating comorbidities. Based on individual patient characteristics and symptoms therapy is mainly based on heart rate control by pharmacological means or therapy for maintaining sinus rhythm. This treatment includes antiarrhythmic drugs and catheter ablation. Current research is aimed at the investigation of the electrophysiological mechanisms of recurrent therapy refractive atrial fibrillation and the question whether the maintenance of sinus rhythm can improve the prognosis of atrial fibrillation.