title: Nonpharmacologic treatment of atrial fibrillation in elderly persons.
abstract: In recent years, new nonpharmacologic possibilities have emerged for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. The roles of surgery, radiofrequency catheter ablation, pacing, and atrial defibrillation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation are discussed. This text focuses on the interaction between different treatment modalities and the pathophysiologic mechanisms of atrial fibrillation and on the available data about the effectiveness in elderly persons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. rik.willems@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Rik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heidbüchel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans