title: Non-pharmacological therapy of atrial fibrillation and flutter.
abstract: Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are the most frequent arrhythmias encountered by the cardiologists in an everyday practice. External cardioversion, atrial temporary pacing and/or drugs are commonly and often successfully used in their treatment. The failures of these methods are rare, and for the patients who remain prone to arrhythmias or a recurrence with serious hemodynamic consequences, new therapies are presently under assessment. Electrical internal cardioversion can be performed when a permanent and bad tolerated atrial fibrillation is not managed by an external cardioversion. Elective ablation of a reentrant area will be probably the best solution to treat a recurrent atrial flutter or a junctional tachycardia by intranodal reentry. Finally, a radical solution consists to separate electrically the atria from the ventricles by interrupting totally or partially the A-V conduction. This can be performed by an endocavitary fulguration or an ablation by radiofrequency currents. To avoid recurrences, we usually use a pharmacological therapy. Permanent pacing is an exceptional solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, CMCO Hospital, Strasbourg-Schiltigheim, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chauvin
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000601:surgery; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D004554:Electric Countershock; D004598:Electrosurgery; D004699:Endocardium / Q000601:surgery; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial