Heart rhythm : the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society
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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a leading cause of total and fatal ischemic stroke. Stroke risk after AF ablation appears to be favorably affected; however, it is largely unknown whether the benefit extends to all stroke CHADS2 risk profiles of AF patients. ⋯ In our study populations, AF ablation patients have a significantly lower risk of stroke compared to AF patients who do not undergo ablation independent of baseline stroke risk score.
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Successful termination of atrial fibrillation (AF) during catheter ablation (CA) is associated with arrhythmia-free follow-up. Preablation factors such as mean atrial fibrillation cycle length (AFCL) predict the likelihood of AF termination during ablation but recurring patterns and AFCL stability have not been evaluated. ⋯ AFCL recurrence and stability indices could be used in selecting patients more likely to benefit from CA.