| Abstract [eng] |
Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder and is associated with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications, dementia, impaired quality of life, and increased mortality. In recent years, an increasing amount of evidence has been presented showing the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation treatment for atrial fibrillation. It is more effective than antiarrhythmic drugs in maintaining sinus rhythm in appropriately selected patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation. Moreover, it slows down the progression of atrial fibrillation, improves quality of life, and cardiac function in heart failure patients. Long-term control of sinus rhythm with catheter ablation is achieved in only 50-80% of patients; therefore, appropriate patient selection for this procedure is crucial. The aim of this study is to present and compare two cases of catheter ablation treatment for atrial fibrillation and to analyze patients' eligibility criteria for this procedure and its positive outcomes. The study presents the treatment and follow-up data of a young patient with a 9-year history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and no structural heart disease, and an older patient with a 28-year history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and reduced ejection fraction heart failure with multiple risk factors (see table 3). A literature review was conducted to analyze the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation, the method of catheter ablation, its characteristics, advantages and indications, patients' eligibility and selection criteria, and the most common complications. Patient selection for catheter ablation should be carried out in accordance with the recommendations in the guidelines and consensus documents. When assessing patient eligibility, it is important to evaluate the patient's disease characteristics, individual risk factors, and perform additional laboratory and instrumental tests. As catheter ablation is a safe procedure with a low risk of complications, it can be performed in patients with significant cardiovascular pathology. Patients with atrial fibrillation should be made aware of the risk factors for the onset and progression of the disease and undergo rigorous correction of these risk factors, as this slows down the progression of the disease and significantly improves the outcomes of ablation. |
