title: Atrial Fibrillation.
abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia that results from the chaotic depolarization of atrial tissue. AF is the most common sustained cardiac dysrhythmia and the most common dysrhythmia diagnosed in US emergency departments. All patients with AF must have their cardioembolic risk assessed, even if sinus rhythm is restored. Novel oral anticoagulants may be considered instead of vitamin K antagonists for anticoagulation in patients with nonvalvular AF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: egoralnick@partners.org.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goralnick
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 6th Floor, Suite 200, 110 South Paca Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bontempo
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019468:Disease Management; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D014812:Vitamin K
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Atrial flutter; Cardioembolic stroke