What is the best strategy to follow in very old patients with atrial fibrillation: rate or rhythm control?

Abstract

Management of atrial fibrillation in the rapidly growing population of older patients involves a comprehensive strategy that includes consideration of their comorbidities, functional and social status. Activity level and medication tolerance are different in this category of patients and expectations are focused on quality of life and symptom relief. Invasive methods, such as catheter ablation, are the new frontier of treatment for maintaining sinus rhythm in this population with complication rate comparable to younger patients.