الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice, accounting for approximately one-third of hospitalizations for cardiac rhythm disturbance. AF is associated with an increased long-term risk of stroke, heart failure, and all-cause mortality, especially in women. The observation that potentials arising in or near the ostia of the pulmonary veins (PV) often provoke AF and demonstration that elimination of these foci abolished AF escalated enthusiasm for catheterbased ablation. The technique of ablation has continued to evolve from early attempts to target individual ectopic foci within the PV to circumferential electrical isolation of the entire PV musculature. Restoration of sinus rhythm after catheter ablation for AF significantly improved left ventricular function, exercise capacity, symptoms, and quality of life (usually within the first 3 to 6 months), even in the presence of concurrent heart disease and when ventricular rate control was adequate before ablation. |