From Guidelines to Practice: Comparing New Guideline Directions in Global Atrial Fibrillation Management-From Guidelines to Practice: Comparing New Guideline Directions in Global Atrial Fibrillation Management

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Video Summary

The Heart Rhythm 2025 conference in San Diego kicked off with a session focused on new guidelines for global atrial fibrillation management. Dr. Jose Hoagler presented updates on the 2023 American Heart Rhythm Society guidelines, emphasizing atrial fibrillation as a complex cardiometabolic disease rather than merely a rhythm disorder. The guidelines advocate for a comprehensive approach, including lifestyle interventions like weight loss, reduced alcohol intake, and dismissing myths around caffeine's impact on atrial fibrillation. New classifications and flexible stroke risk assessments using various risk scores alongside the traditional CHAS-VASc score were introduced.<br /><br />Dr. Tom De Potter summarized changes in the 2024 European Society of Cardiology guidelines, underscoring a patient-centered approach. Key points include the importance of managing comorbidities and dynamically reassessing conditions. The guidelines also discuss considerations for rhythm control, antiarrhythmic drug treatments, and catheter ablation as first-line therapies.<br /><br />Dr. Megan Stewart highlighted the role of lifestyle modifications in managing atrial fibrillation, advocating for risk factor management integrated into patient care, and suggesting exercise and alcohol reduction as significant interventions.<br /><br />In case presentations, Dr. Ed Gerstenfeld demonstrated the application of guidelines in clinical scenarios, focusing on balancing ablation with lifestyle interventions.<br /><br />Dr. Janice Cho concluded by identifying gaps in current atrial fibrillation research, such as genetic research, understanding subclinical atrial fibrillation, and diverse populations. The session set the stage for discussions on evolving strategies in atrial fibrillation management.

Keywords

Heart Rhythm 2025

atrial fibrillation

American Heart Rhythm Society

guidelines

lifestyle interventions

stroke risk assessment

European Society of Cardiology

patient-centered approach

comorbidities

catheter ablation

risk factor management

genetic research