Treatment Strategies for Atrial Fibrillation with Long Interval: Consensus and Controversy

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in cardiovascular disease, and it often coexists and interacts with sick sinus syndrome. In the past, pacemaker implantation combined with antiarrhythmic drugs was preferred for symptomatic atrial fibrillation with long interval treatment. However, in recent years, more and more studies have shown that compared with pacemaker implantation, radiofrequency ablation can reduce the hospitalization rate related to tachycardia, effectively control atrial fibrillation, and improve patient prognosis and hospitalization rate of heart failure. However, some patients present intrinsic sinus node dysfunction (SND), and SND may progress and worsen in some patients with atrial fibrillation. Therefore, the first-line treatment strategy for patients with atrial fibrillation with long interval remains controversial. This article reviews the selection of long-term intermittent treatment strategies for atrial fibrillation.

Keywords

• atrial fibrillation|sick sinus syndrome|sinus arrest, cardiac|pacemaker, artificial|ablation techniques