[Atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure: treatment and management]

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with heart failure (HF). It is recognized that AF leads to clinical deterioration and results in worsening HE AF also increases the risk of mortality and morbidity in HF patients. For the management of AF in HF patients, (1) background HF treatment should be optimized, (2) oral anticoagulant is generally indicated when AF is present, (3) ventricular rate control is required and beta-blockers are preferred over digitalis, (4) rhythm control strategy has not been shown to be superior to rate control in HF patients with AF. Amiodarone can be safely used in HF patients. Catheter ablation may be considered in selected HF patients with AF. The therapeutic goal is improvement in survival and quality of life in HF patients with AF.