Radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation

摘要

Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia, especially among elderly people. Restoration of sinus rhythm by cardioversion or drug treatment improves symptoms, cardiac output, and exercise tolerance. Unfortunately, the recurrence rate in successfully treated patients is high. Research into the underlying electrophysiological mechanisms that cause atrial fibrillation has fuelled the development of new therapeutic approaches. This article describes the advances in understanding how the arrhythmia is generated and discusses the therapeutic potential of radiofrequency ablation.