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Int J Angiol 2020; 29(02): 131-140
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1700985
Invited Articles
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Is Catheter Ablation Better Than Antiarrhythmic Drugs for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation?

Balaji Natarajan
1   Department of Cardiology, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, California
,
Srishti Nayak
2   Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California
,
Ramdas G. Pai
1   Department of Cardiology, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, California
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

Publication Date:
05 March 2020 (online)

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Abstract

Long-standing atrial fibrillation is associated with significant morbidity including stroke and development of heart failure. Patients also report poor quality of life as a result of debilitating symptoms or treatment side effects from antiarrhythmic medications. Radio frequency or cryothermal mediated catheter ablation has a central role in the management of symptomatic patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation. Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation is vital to the success of this therapy and other ancillary techniques have been described, especially for persistent atrial fibrillation. Several randomized controlled studies have been reported over the last two decades studying important clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation. In this article, we aim to provide a review of the major studies that have helped define the role of catheter ablation in the management of symptomatic atrial fibrillation in patients with both diseased and structurally normal hearts.

Keywords

atrial fibrillation - ablation - radio frequency ablation - stroke - pulmonary vein - left atrium - survival
 

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