Key result
Contemporary management of atrial fibrillation focuses on restoring sinus rhythm via cardioversion and antiarrhythmics, or controlling ventricular rate and preventing stroke when this is impractical.
This review summarizes standard management strategies for atrial fibrillation, including rhythm control, rate control, and stroke prevention.
Supports routine AF rhythm/rate control and stroke prevention; leaves open optimization via future randomized trials.
Atrial fibrillation is responsible for considerable morbidity in our population. Management of persistent atrial fibrillation of acute onset involves electrical or pharmacological cardioversion to restore sinus rhythm and the use of antiarrhythmic drugs to maintain sinus rhythm. The duration of atrial fibrillation is an important determinant of the timing and success of cardioversion and the risk of embolic complications. When sinus rhythm cannot be maintained, control of ventricular rate and the prevention of stroke become the goals. This is also the case in patients in whom conversion to sinus rhythm is impractical or likely to be unsuccessful. The choice of aspirin or warfarin depends on each patient's individual risk of stroke.
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Daniel M. Ninio (2000) conducted a review in Atrial fibrillation. Contemporary management of atrial fibrillation focuses on restoring sinus rhythm via cardioversion and antiarrhythmics, or controlling ventricular rate and preventing stroke when this is impractical.
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