Medication: Anticoagulant therapy is used to prohibit the formation of thrombi during an atrial fibrillation event. During atrial fibrillation, blood is not being moved through the atria. This environment is conducive to thrombus formation in the left atrial appendage (Marriot and Conover, 1998). The risk of thrombus formation after cardioversion is 1% to 5% due to the atrial fibrillation event itself and atrial stunning after cardioversion. It takes the atria approximately 4-7 days to recover from DC cardioversion, if the atrial fibrillation event was short in duration (Marriot and Conover, 1998).
Cardioversion: DC
cardioversion is used to convert the atrial fibrillation rhythm to normal sinus
rhythm.
Ablation: Ablation
of the AV junction may be necessary for people who experience severe symptoms
and acute hemodynamic compromise with lone atrial fibrillation. Ablation of
the AV junction stops all impulses from traveling from the SA node to the ventricles.
Subsequently, a VVIR pacemaker is implanted to compensate for this. Research
by Ueng et.al (2001) concluded that lone atrial fibrillation patients who underwent
this treatment could have both short term and long term benefit, other than
rate control and elimination of symptoms. These benefits would include a better
quality of life and an increased activity level.
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Treatment goals for Lone Atrial Fibrillation include: