?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Catheter+Ablation+for+Atrial+Fibrillation&rft.creator=Gauri%2C+Andre+J&rft.creator=Knight%2C+Bradley+P&rft.subject=Indian+Pacing+and+Electrophysiology+Journal&rft.description=Atrial+fibrillation+(AF)%2C+the+most+common+arrhythmia+in+adults%2C+affects+1+in+25+people+over+the+age+of+60+years+and+1+in+10+over+the+age+of+80+years.1++There+is+considerable+morbidity%2C+mortality+and+economic+burden+associated+with+AF%2C+all+of+which+will+increase+with+the+expanding+elderly+population.+Until+recently%2C+pharmacologic+therapy+with+AV+nodal+blocking+agents%2C+antiarrhythmics+and+anticoagulation+were+the+mainstay+of+therapy.+Although+electrical+cardioversion+is+associated+with+a+high+immediate+success+rate%2C+most+patients+have+recurrences+of+AF+with+only+23%25+remaining+in+sinus+rhythm+one+year+after+cardioversion.2++Antiarrhythmic+agents+have+been+shown+to+improve+sinus+maintenance%2C+but+these+medications+have+variable+success+and+are+associated+with+many+potentially+serious+side+effects.+In+addition%2C+the+recently+published+AFFIRM+trial+suggests+that+a+pharmacological+rhythm+control+strategy+has+no+benefit+in+terms+of+mortality+or+morbidity+over+a+rate+control+and+anticoagulation+strategy.3+Over+the+last+few+years%2C+there+has+been+a+great+deal+of+enthusiasm+regarding+catheter+based+ablation+strategies+aimed+at+curing+AF.%0A&rft.publisher=Indian+Pacing+and+Electrophysiology+Group&rft.contributor=Singh%2C+Balbir&rft.contributor=Lokhandwala%2C+Yash&rft.contributor=Francis%2C+Johnson&rft.contributor=Gupta%2C+Anup&rft.date=2003-10&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=text%2Fhtml&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F4246%2F1%2Fknight.htm&rft.identifier=++Gauri%2C+Andre+J+and+Knight%2C+Bradley+P++(2003)+Catheter+Ablation+for+Atrial+Fibrillation.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F4246%2F