title: [Catheter ablation of atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation].
abstract: Within the past 20 years, refinements in electrophysiologic mapping techniques have provided a better understanding of the pathophysiology of atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation (AF), which resulted in the development of catheter ablation techniques for this arrhythmias. Nowadays, catheter ablation has become the first line treatment of recurrent symptomatic or hemodynamically significant atrial flutter. In contrast, catheter ablation of AF is still an investigational procedure and should be restricted to patients with symptomatic AF who have been refractory to multiple antiarrhythmic drugs. In symptomatic patients with AF and an uncontrolled ventricular rate who have failed treatment with several antiarrhythmic drugs and who do not fit for primary catheter ablation of AF atrioventricular junction ablation with prior pacemaker implantation is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Universität Leipzig, Herzzentrum, Kardiologie - Abteilung Rhythmologie/ Elektrophysiologie, Leipzig. kobza@freesurf.ch
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kobza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hindricks
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kottkamp
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D018579:Patient Selection; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents