Atrial Fibrillation -- The Last Big Hurdle in Treating Supraventricular Tachycardia

Atrial fibrillation is the most common chronic tachycardia1. Even in the absence of other cardiac abnormalities, the loss of effective atrial contraction and the inappropriately rapid ventricular rate during arrhythmia result in depressed cardiac function2 and promote the formation of intracardiac thrombi. This makes atrial fibrillation the most common cardiac cause of stroke. Several factors promote the development of atrial fibrillation, such as age, valvular disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus1. The incidence of this type of arrhythmia is increasing, not only because the population is aging, but also because more patients are surviving the acute . . .