TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter A1 - Curtis, Anne B. A1 - Baykaner, Tina A1 - Narayan, Sanjiv M. A2 - Fuster, Valentin A2 - Narula, Jagat A2 - Vaishnava, Prashant A2 - Leon, Martin B. A2 - Callans, David J. A2 - Rumsfeld, John A2 - Poppas, Athena PY - 2022 T2 - Fuster and Hurst's The Heart, 15e AB - Chapter SummaryThis chapter discusses the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and classification of atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter, as well as the clinical presentation, evaluation, and management of patients with these arrhythmias (see Fuster and Hurst’s Central Illustration). Patients may have a range of presentations from asymptomatic, with the arrhythmia detected only by electrocardiography or other monitoring, to highly symptomatic. Management approaches should be individualized to patient symptoms and comorbidities. Management of AF may require cardioversion acutely for symptomatic patients, followed by strategies to prevent recurrent AF and minimize sequelae such as stroke. An important consideration in the management of AF is lifestyle modification, because conditions such as sleep apnea, obesity, excessive alcohol intake, and lack of exercise may contribute to the development or maintenance of AF. Long-term management includes anticoagulation for the prevention of thromboembolism in patients deemed to be high risk. The other pillars of management of AF are rate control and rhythm control. Emerging data support early rhythm control by antiarrhythmic drugs or catheter ablation, especially in certain subpopulations such as those with concurrent heart failure. The management of atrial flutter is analogous in most respects to that of AF, although typical atrial flutter is curative in most cases with catheter ablation. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2023/02/07 UR - accesscardiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1191374940 ER -