Key result
Atrial fibrillation plays a role in up to 15% of all strokes and is associated with an increased odds ratio for death (1.5 in men, 1.9 in women), driving a resurgence in curative treatments.
Technological advances and new understanding of mechanisms have led to a resurgence of anatomically based curative treatments for atrial fibrillation.
Emphasizes AF's stroke and mortality burden; leaves open optimal selection and outcomes of curative strategies.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains the most prevalent arrhythmia, with as many as 2.2 million cases in the United States alone (1), and it accounts for over 3.1 million office visits a year (2). Despite often being labeled as a benign rhythm, AF plays a role in as many as 15% of all strokes (3) and is associated with an increased odds ratio for death (1.5 in men and 1.9 in women) (4). In general, AF is rarely treated successfully by the medical community, with the mainstay of therapy being aimed at ventricular rate control and anticoagulation. New understanding of AF mechanisms combined with technological advances have led to a resurgence of anatomically based curative treatment of AF in both the catheter-based and the surgical arenas.
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Williams et al. (2004) conducted a review in Atrial Fibrillation. Less invasive surgical treatment was evaluated. Atrial fibrillation plays a role in up to 15% of all strokes and is associated with an increased odds ratio for death (1.5 in men, 1.9 in women), driving a resurgence in curative treatments.
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