Early rhythm control in atrial fibrillation anno 2024

Atrial fibrillation is a chronic progressive disease and is the most common arrhythmia in adults. It is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The EAST-AFNET 4 trial demonstrated that rhythm control in patients with early atrial fibrillation significantly reduces cardiovascular outcomes compared to usual care. The effectiveness of early rhythm control is predominantly mediated by the presence of sinus rhythm and early rhythm control is more effective in patients with multiple comorbidities. Studies such as STOP-AF First, Cryo-FIRST, EARLY-AF and its 3-year follow-up trial demonstrate that first-line catheter ablation is more effective in maintaining sinus rhythm than anti-arrhythmic drug therapy. These findings are leading to a paradigm shift in the electrophysiology community in favour of early rhythm control with catheter ablation when feasible.