Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
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Treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF) depends on how severe or frequent the symptoms are and whether you already have heart disease. General treatment options include medicines, medical procedures, and lifestyle changes.
Treatment of AF is designed to:
Prevent blood clots from forming, and thereby reduce the risk for stroke.
Control how many times a minute the ventricles contract. This is called rate control. Rate control is important because it allows the ventricles enough time to completely fill with blood. With this approach, the irregular heart rhythm continues, but the person feels better and has fewer symptoms.
Restore the heart to a normal rhythm. This is called rhythm control. Rhythm control allows the atria and ventricles to work together again to efficiently pump blood to the body.
Treat any underlying disorder that's causing or raising the risk of AF-for example, hyperthyroidism.
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