Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in the practice of a cardiologist and therapist: A review

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is not only the most common arrhythmia, but also carries a large burden on the health care system, which is associated with the costs of repeated hospitalizations, visits to the doctor and treatment of complications of this arrhythmia. The search for the most effective approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of AF is one of the priority tasks. Studies in recent years indicate in favor of the tactics of rhythm control over heart rate control. At the same time, catheter ablation (CA) is the most effective and safe method of sinus rhythm retention. The article discusses the most common approaches to this intervention, current indications for CA, the results of key studies in recent years, the impact of CA on prognosis in certain groups of patients. The role of concomitant cardiovascular diseases and risk factors not only in the development of AF, but also in the effectiveness of CA is also discussed. The meaning of the “blind period” and the tactics of patient management after the procedure are described.