Atrial fibrillation: rhythm control versus rate control? (New evidences from clinical trials)

Regina Auškalnienė, Aušra Kavoliūnienė, Aras Puodžiukynas

Clinic of Cardiology, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Lithuania

Key words: management of atrial fibrillation, rhythm control, rate control.

Summary. One of the fundamental questions in the management of atrial fibrillation is whether cardioversion should be attempted. Studies have compared rate control with rhythm control strategies. Rhythm control has not been shown to be superior to rate control (with chronic anticoagulation) in reducing morbidity and mortality and may be inferior in some patient subgroups to rate control. Whether these results can be extrapolated to longer time periods than the trial duration (approximately 3.5 years) is not known. The purpose of this article is to discuss some important aspects of atrial fibrillation and to review recent developments in the management of this condition.

Correspondence to A. Kavoliūnienė, Clinic of Cardiology, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Eivenių 2, 50010 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: ak@kmu.lt

Received 22 March 2004, accepted 26 April 2004