Longer and better lives for patients with atrial fibrillation: the 9th AFNET/EHRA consensus conference
EP Europace Journal
Abstract
Recent trial data demonstrate beneficial effects of active rhythm management in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and support the concept that a low arrhythmia burden is associated with a low risk of AF-related complications. The aim of this document is to summarize the key outcomes of the 9th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference of the Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA).
Eighty-three international experts met in Münster for 2 days in September 2023. Key findings are as follows: (i) Active rhythm management should be part of the default initial treatment for all suitable patients with AF. (ii) Patients with device-detected AF have a low burden of AF and a low risk of stroke. Anticoagulation prevents some strokes and also increases major but non-lethal bleeding. (iii) More research is needed to improve stroke risk prediction in patients with AF, especially in those with a low AF burden. Biomolecules, genetics, and imaging can support this. (iv) The presence of AF should trigger systematic workup and comprehensive treatment of concomitant cardiovascular conditions. (v) Machine learning algorithms have been used to improve detection or likely development of AF. Cooperation between clinicians and data scientists is needed to leverage the potential of data science applications for patients with AF.
Patients with AF and a low arrhythmia burden have a lower risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events than those with a high arrhythmia burden. Combining active rhythm control, anticoagulation, rate control, and therapy of concomitant cardiovascular conditions can improve the lives of patients with AF.
Contributors
Dominik Linz
Author
A John Camm
Author
City St George's University of London London , United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
Jens Cosedis Nielsen
Author
Søren Zoega Diederichsen
Author
Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital Copenhagen , Denmark
Dobromir Dobrev
Author
Nicolas Doll
Author
Elke Dworatzek
Author
Lars Eckardt
Author
Christoph Eisert
Author
Michal Farkowski
Author
Ministry of Interior and Administration National Medical Institute Warsaw , Poland
Andreas Goette
Author
Guido Hack
Author
Stéphane Hatem
Author
Jeff S Healey
Author
Lucas H Hofmeister
Author
Leif Hove-Madsen
Author
Thomas Huebner
Author
Dipak Kotecha
Author
University of Birmingham Birmingham , United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
Katarzyna Malaczynska-Rajpold
Author
Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital Harefield, Uxbridge , United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
Andreas Metzner
Author
Ghulam Andre Ng
Author
University of Leicester Leicester , United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
Michael Oeff
Author
Abdul Shokor Parwani
Author
Ursula Ravens
Author
Prashanthan Sanders
Author
Ulrich Schotten
Author
Gerhard Steinbeck
Author
Daniel Steven
Author
Tobias Toennis
Author
Stylianos Tzeis
Author
Roderick H van Leerdam
Author
Kevin Vernooy
Author
Manish Wadhwa
Author
Reza Wakili
Author
Stephan Willems
Author
Henning Witt
Author
Stef Zeemering
Author
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