Via practica 5/2012

Overview of pharmacotherapy of atrial fibrillation (update for general practitioners)

Atrial fibrillation is a supraventricular arrhythmia which prevalence and incidence increases with age. Atrial fibrillation is associated with a twofold risk of death, with increased risk of stroke, thromboembolism and heart failure. For managing atrial fibrillation is necessary to identify and treat the associated and causal factors of arrhythmia, decide on rate control or rhythm control and to protect thromboembolism. Rate control should be the initial approach in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation and minimal symptoms and rhythm control as an initial approach should be considered in young patients. Antiarrhythmic drugs are still the main therapeutic agents for the treatment patients with atrial fibrillation that prevents the remodeling process, can be effective in maintaining sinus rhythm. In practice is in managing of atrial fibrillation critical step evaluation of thromboembolic and haemorrhagic risk.

Keywords: atrial fibrillation, thromboembolism, antiarrhythmic drugs, mortality.