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Heart Health
Ablation for atrial fibrillation
- By Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
Why and when should you consider undergoing an ablation procedure — and how well does it work?
If you have atrial fibrillation (afib) — a heart rhythm disorder marked by a rapid, irregular heart rate — you may have wondered about catheter ablation. For this therapy, a doctor guides a thin flexible tube (catheter) through a large vein up into the heart. A device at the tip of catheter emits energy that destroys (ablates) the tiny patches of heart tissue causing the heart’s electrical misfires (see illustration).
Traditionally, ablation has been used as a second-line treatment for people with afib who have debilitating symptoms and have had no success with medications. But evidence increasingly suggests that undergoing ablation earlier in the course of the disease may be a good option, says Dr. Paul Zei, director of the Comprehensive Atrial Fibrillation Program at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
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No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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Managing Atrial Fibrillation
Managing Atrial Fibrillation will explain what atrial fibrillation is, how to know if you have it, its causes, and the treatments available. Afib can be a complex health condition, so the more you know about it, the better you will be able to work with your doctor. If afib is monitored and treated correctly, you can minimize its symptoms and help to prevent serious complications like stroke and heart damage.
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