Atrial fibrillation and heart failure: current state of the problem

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia observed in clinical practice. Despite advances in diagnostic methods and treatment, atrial fibrillation remains one of the general causes of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In recent times the prevalence of atrial fibrillation has been growing, due to improved diagnosis, aging population and an increase the prevalence of diseases and risk factors leading to the development of arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation and heart failure are often diagnosed together. The combination of these diseases can raise the risk of stroke, the number of hospitalizations and mortality from all cardiovascular causes. Pharmacological treatment of atrial fibrillation is a challenging task, especially in patients with a reduced ejection fraction, because most antiarrhythmic drugs have a negative inotropic effect. Currently, the focus in the treatment of arrhythmia is shifted towards the rhythm control strategy, especially to catheter ablation. Several studies have demonstrated that pulmonary vein ablation can improve outcomes and prognosis.