Atrial Fibrillation:
Atrial fibrillation, or atrial flutter (AF), is the most common arrhythmia worldwide. It affects approximately 45 million people globally and just over one million people in France.
Due to population aging and the increasing prevalence of risk factors for arrhythmia, the number of patients with atrial fibrillation is constantly growing. It is estimated that there are 230,000 new cases per year in France, with a significant impact on public health.
Indeed, AF is particularly responsible for an increased risk of ischemic stroke (4.8 times higher risk of stroke) and can lead to heart failure in the absence of treatment.
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What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Electrical impulses from the sinus node maintain a regular heartbeat. In patients with atrial fibrillation, the presence of abnormal electrical circuits from the pulmonary veins can cause chaotic and irregular contractions of the heart's atria, leading to significant disturbances in heart rhythm.
In practice, this can clinically manifest with various symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue, and/or shortness of breath, which may worsen with exertion.
The different forms of atrial fibrillation are:
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
It manifests as intermittent episodes that spontaneously resolve within less than 7 days.
Persistent atrial fibrillation
It manifests as episodes that last beyond 7 days or for a duration of less than 7 days with failure of antiarrhythmic treatment or electrical cardioversion.
The Permanent Atrial Fibrillation
It is an advanced and progressive stage of atrial fibrillation characterized by permanent arrhythmia. Symptomatic treatments may be initiated to prevent potential complications, such as heart failure.
Atrial fibrillation is a recurrent and progressive disease. Early treatment is associated with a better rate of success of therapeutic treatment.
Risk factors for atrial fibrillation:
What are the therapeutic options for managing atrial fibrillation (AF) ?
Early treatment of atrial fibrillation and restoration of sinus rhythm help reduce the risks of serious complications, including stroke and heart failure.
Upon diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, it is therefore recommended to quickly implement appropriate curative therapeutic care.
The different treatment options are:
Medication: This involves initiating anticoagulant treatment to prevent thromboembolic risk (formation of blood clots), especially the risk of stroke; and antiarrhythmic treatment to control heart rhythm.
Electrical cardioversion: This involves administering an external electrical shock under general anesthesia, creating an electric discharge through the heart to restore normal sinus rhythm.
This method is not curative and provides only a temporary solution.
Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: This is a minimally invasive procedure that involves isolating areas of cardiac tissue that are causing arrhythmia, thereby preventing their spread to the rest of the heart.
Ablation remains the most effective way to treat arrhythmia, offering a possibility of complete cure.
Radiofrequency ablation is a technical and technological feat that uses three-dimensional anatomical images of your heart.