Treatment strategies in atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice affecting up to 1% of the general population. There is a higher prevalence and incidence with increasing age and burden of chronic heart disease . Treatment for AF represents a significant healthcare cost, estimated to be about Euro 13.5 billion annually in the European Union. Manage-ment of AF remains challenging especially with new pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches becoming readily available. This review article discusses the multitude of therapeutic options and how they may be applied to best effect.
Wong
K C K
KC
Cardiac Rhythm Management, Cardiology Department, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
Betts
T R
TR
D000465:Algorithms; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003663:Decision Trees; D006801:Humans; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control