Interventional procedure overview of pulsed field ablation for atrial fibrillation
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Indications and current treatment
AF is an irregular contraction of the upper chambers of the heart (atria) and often causes the heart to beat rapidly. This makes the heart less effective at moving blood from the upper to the lower chambers of the heart. Symptoms of AF include palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, fatigue and chest pain. It can have a substantial effect on quality of life. Complications of AF include stroke and heart failure. AF can be transient (paroxysmal), lasting longer than 30 seconds but only up to 7 days (PAF) or persistent, lasting more than 7 days (PersAF).
Standard treatments for symptomatic AF include lifestyle modification, drug therapy and procedural interventions. The aim of treatment is to prevent complications like stroke and alleviate symptoms. Drug treatments include anticoagulants to reduce the risk of stroke, and antiarrhythmics to restore or maintain the normal heart rhythm or to slow the heart rate. When medications for AF do not work or are unsuitable, other treatments like catheter ablation procedures may be used. The current standard catheter ablation techniques are RFA and CBA. Laser balloon ablation is rarely used in the NHS.
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