Guest Editor: A. John Camm, MD, FRCP, FACC Authors: Renate B. Schnabel, MD, MSc; Nihar R. Desai, MD, MPH; Robert P. Giugliano, MD, SM, FACC, FAHA; Jonas Bjerring Olesen, MD; Gunnar Hilmar Gislason, MD, PhD; Christian Torp-Pedersen, MD, DMSc; Gregory Y. H. Lip, MD; Stefan H. Hohnloser, MD If you wish to receive credit for this activity, please refer to the website: www.wileyhealthlearning.com Blackwell Futura Media Services is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Blackwell Futura Media Services designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Discuss the prevalence/incidence of atrial fibrillation and conditions that underlie atrial fibrillation. Explain the dynamic nature of atrial fibrillation and its progression to permanent forms. Restate the techniques used to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Discuss rate versus rhythm strategies and antiarrhythmic drugs and degree of effect achieved. Restate the methods available for left atrial ablation. This activity is supported by an educational grant from Sanofi Aventis. Drs. Camm, Hohnloser, Olesen, Desai, Lip, and Giugliano have received an honorarium through an educational grant from Sanofi Aventis for their time and expertise contributing to this activity. Guest Editor A. John Camm, MD, FRCP, FACC has served as a consultant, received grant funding, and has been a member of the speakers bureau for sanofi aventis. Author Gregory Y. H. Lip, MD has served as a consultant for Bayer, Astellas, Merck, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, BMS/Pfizer, Biotronik, Portola and Boehringer Ingelheim and has been on the speakers bureau for Bayer, BMS/Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Sanofi Aventis. Author Stefan H. Hohnloser, MD receiving consulting fees from Bayer, BMS; Cardiome, Pfizer, MSD, and Sanofi Aventis; research grants from Sanofi Aventis and St. Jude Medical, and lecture fees from BMS, Cardiome, Medtronic, Sanofi Aventis, and St. Jude Medical. Authors Renate B. Schnabel, MD, MSc, Jonas Bjerring Olesen, MD, Gunnar Hilmar Gislason, MD, PhD, and Christian Torp-Pedersen, MD, DMSc disclose no conflicts of interest. This activity underwent peer review in line with the standards of editorial integrity and publication ethics maintained by Clinical Cardiology. The peer reviewers disclose no conflicts of interest. The peer review process for Clinical Cardiology is blinded. As such, the identities of the reviewers are not disclosed in line with the standard accepted practices of medical journal peer review. Conflicts of interest have been identified and resolved in accordance with Blackwell Futura Media Services's Policy on Activity Disclosure and Conflict of Interest. The primary resolution method used was peer review and review by a non-conflicted expert. This activity is intended for physicians. For information on applicability and acceptance of continuing medical education credit for this activity, please consult your professional licensing board. This activity is designed to be completed within two hours; physicians should claim only those credits that reflect the time actually spent in the activity. To successfully earn credit, participants must complete the activity during the valid credit period, which is up to two years from initial publication. Log on to www.wileyhealthlearning.com Read the target audience, educational objectives, and activity disclosures. Read the activity contents in print or online format. Reflect on the activity contents. Access the CME Exam, and choose the best answer to each question. Complete the required evaluation component of the activity. Claim your Certificate This activity will be available for CME credit for two years following its launch date. At that time, it will be reviewed and potentially updated and extended for an additional twelve months.