What Are the Treatments for AFib?What Are the Treatments for AFib?

Treatments such as medications, nonsurgical procedures, and surgery can slow your heartbeat and bring it back into a normal rhythm.

What Is HAS-BLED?

Your HAS-BLED score tells the doctor how to manage your care. This way, everyone who has AFib is not treated the same way.

Heart Rate Control for Atrial Fibrillation

Heart rate control is a key way to manage atrial fibrillation. Doctors consider it one of the four pillars of AFib care.

Rhythm Control Strategies for Atrial Fibrillation

One way to control AFib is to take rhythm control medication, which helps your heart return to and stay in a normal rhythm.

Clinical Trials for Atrial Fibrillation

Through clinical trials, researchers are constantly working on safer and more effective ways to treat AFib.

Drug TreatmentMedications That Treat Atrial Fibrillation

For many people with AFib, medicine is the best treatment option. Learn which medicines your doctor could prescribe.

Are Direct Thrombin Inhibitors Effective for AFib?

People with AFib are usually prescribed a blood thinner, such as direct thrombin inhibitors, to reduce the risk of clots.

Factor Xa Inhibitors for AFib

Research shows that a class of blood thinner called a factor Xa inhibitor is a good option for treating AFib long-term.

AFib Treatments: ACE Inhibitors and ARBs

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers can have protective effects against AFib.

Calcium Channel Blockers for AFib: What to Know

Calcium channel blockers. They treat AFib by slowing your heart rate and relaxing the heart muscle.

What to Know About Digoxin Levels

Digoxin is a medication used to help treat heart failure and heartbeat irregularities.

AFib: Long-Term Blood Thinner Use

If you have atrial fibrillation (AFib), your doctor may suggest long-term blood thinners, also called anticoagulants.

Does Fish Oil Help AFib?

You may be thinking about taking fish oil for your health. When it comes to AFib, should you reel it in or cut it loose?

Medications You Should Avoid With Atrial Fibrillation

If you have other medical conditions along with AFib, you might have to watch out for possible drug interactions.

Minimally Invasive ProceduresWill I Need a Pacemaker for My Atrial Fibrillation?

If you have AFib and your heart is beating too slowly, your doctor may recommend a pacemaker along with other treatment.

Cardioversion for AFib

If you have AFib, your doctor will probably suggest a treatment called cardioversion to help you get a normal rhythm back.

Cardioversion vs. Ablation for AFib

Two common nondrug treatments for AFib are cardioversion and cardiac ablation. You may get one or both.

Cardiac Ablation

The doctor may try cardiac ablation if medications and resetting your heartbeat -- also called cardioversion -- don’t work.

What to Expect From Cardiac Ablation for AFib

Often, the treatment eases your symptoms and returns your heartbeat to normal. It may also lower your chances of a stroke.

Catheter Ablation as a Heart Arrhythmia Treatment

Catheter ablation is a way to treat irregular heartbeats like AFib, atrial flutter, or supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).

Surgical ProceduresSurgery and Other Procedures for AFib

Some meds can control your heart rate or can convert the heart's rhythm back to normal, but you might also have surgery.

Maze Procedure (Surgical Ablation) for AFib

If you have AFib, you may need surgery, called the maze procedure, or surgical ablation, to normalize your heart rhythm.

Hybrid Surgical-Catheter Ablation for AFib

If your AFib doesn't respond to meds or cardiac ablations, your doctor may suggest a hybrid surgical-catheter ablation.

Left Atrial Appendage Percutaneous Closure Surgery

Your doctor might recommend LAA percutaneous closure surgery if you're at risk for clots in your left atrial appendage.

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