Contemporary management of persistent atrial fibrillation

Learning objectives Develop a basic understanding of the underlying mechanisms of atrial fibrillation and classification of the disease. Review the main principles in contemporary management of atrial fibrillation with a focus on persistent atrial fibrillation. Discuss catheter ablation in the context of atrial fibrillation. Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a multisystemic disorder that is associated with an excess risk of stroke, heart failure and mortality.1 It remains the most common sustained arrhythmia and its significance should not be underestimated. Research focused on unveiling the mechanisms of AF began over a century ago. During this period, several theories have been proposed. More recently, the notion of rotors and spiral waves propagating in the atria was used to address the flaws of prior concepts and enhance our understanding on the development of AF.2 3 Presently, it is believed...
Source: Heart - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Education in Heart Source Type: research