Management of atrial fibrillation

AF is the most commonly seen arrhythmia in clinical practice. Recent progress in the understanding of the disease has helped advance treatment. Recognition of the underlying causes of AF allows preventative measures to be taken to reduce future events; risk stratification for stroke permits an informed decision on anti-coagulation requirements; and developing techniques for nonpharmacological treatment of AF have led to a resurgence in rhythm control strategies in patients willing to undergo ablation for AF. With the increase in the incidence of AF expected over the next decades, physicians will need all these strategies to counter the large disease burden anticipated.