[Atrial fibrillation: current recommendations for diagnosis and treatment]

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is by far the most common arrhythmia. It occurs more often with increasing age. Patients with AF almost always require oral anticoagulants and a rate-control treatment. In addition, other cardiovascular diseases must also be carefully treated in order to reduce the risks of cardiovascular complications from AF. Most patients profit from rate-control treatment with drugs that slow the conduction of the electrical impulse through the AV node. The aim is a resting heart rate of 100-110/min. If patients suffer from AF whilst on optimal rate control therapy, rhythm-control treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs, cardioversion or catheter ablation is indicated. The choice of the rhythm-control therapy should be made based on safety considerations. Whether achieving sinus rhythm beyond improvement of symptoms improves the prognosis of AF is tested in ongoing trials.