Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a promising therapy for congestive heart failure.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) and congestive heart failure (CHF) are cardiovascular epidemics. Catheter ablation of AF is increasingly performed in patients with CHF. Atrioventricular junction ablation (AVJA) and pulmonary vein isolation are the two predominant ablation strategies used to treat AF patients who are refractory to drugs. In patients with CHF refractory to drugs, AVJA with a biventricular device is associated with improvement in exercise capacity and quality of life. However, in a head-to-head comparison, pulmonary vein antrum ablation was shown to be superior to AVJA. Cure of AF in patients with CHF resulted in more significant morphological and functional improvements than AVJA.
Patel
Dimpi
D
Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, St David's Medical Center, Austin, TX 78705, USA. dimpi.patel.afib@gmail.com
Natale
Andrea
A
Di Biase
Luigi
L
Burkhardt
J David
JD
Wang
Yan
Y
Sanchez
Javier E
JE
Horton
Rodney P
RP
Khan
Mohammed
M
D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D015444:Exercise; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life