Fast Five Quiz: Clinical Management of Atrial Fibrillation

Figure 1. Segment of an ECG showing atrial fibrillation, a rapid arrhythmia of the heart. It is the most common cardiac arrhythmia.

The management goals for patients with new-onset AF include rate control and anticoagulation, and rhythm control for patients who are symptomatic. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) clinical practice guidelines follow a similar classification scheme for AF and for rate control.

Although rate control is important to stabilizing patients with AF, restoring sinus rhythm can slow or reverse the atrial and ventricular remodeling that leads to atrial dilation and left ventricular dysfunction.

Although important, preventing acute myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis and reducing diastolic blood pressure are typically not management goals for patients with new-onset AF.

Learn more about management goals for patients with new-onset AF.

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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Sandeep K. Goyal. Fast Five Quiz: Clinical Management of Atrial Fibrillation - Medscape - Mar 13, 2023.