Our Approach to Atrial Fibrillation Treatment

Our providers have the experience necessary to provide comprehensive and contemporary treatment options for AFib. Our approach is based on four pillars of care:

1: Restoring and maintaining a normal sinus rhythm

Most people have a better quality of life - and in many cases, experience less risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke - with sinus rhythm maintenance and atrial fibrillation suppression. We employ a number of different treatment options to lower your burden of atrial fibrillation, including:

• Anti-arrhythmic medications are designed to suppress atrial fibrillation and promote normal rhythm.


• Cardioversion - A non-invasive procedure performed to terminate atrial fibrillation and restore normal heart rhythm.


• Catheter ablation - A minimally invasive, safe and effective procedure designed to reduce the amount of AFib you experience over time. We  offer various different types of ablation options for AFib, including:
  • Radiofrequency catheter ablation 
  • Cryoballoon ablation
  • Hybrid surgical ablation

2: Controlling the heart rate during episodes of AFib

Rapid heart rates are common in untreated AFib, with symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, chest discomfort and dizziness. Untreated AFib can result in a weakening of the heart muscle over time, which ultimately leads to congestive heart failure. We utilize several different tools to ensure that your heart rates are controlled when you have episodes of AFib, including:

• Rate-controlling medications, such as beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers


• Implanted cardiac devices, such as pacemakers and loop recorders 


• Ablation of the AV node is done in combination with pacemaker implantation when medications have not been sufficient to control AFib.
   

3: Minimizing stroke risk

The risk for stroke is five times higher in individuals with AFib. We assess your individual stroke risk and reduce that risk using:

• Anticoagulation medications, or blood thinners, to prevent clot formation in the heart.


• Left atrial appendage closure - A procedure designed to reduce your risk of stroke when blood thinning medications cannot be used.

4: Risk factors and lifestyle modification 

In addition to the medications and procedures above, various lifestyle and risk factor modifications can reduce your burden of atrial fibrillation. These include weight loss, sleep apnea and high blood pressure treatment, exercise, healthy eating, and avoidance of AFib triggers such as heavy alcohol use and stress. In our AFib Clinic, we collaborate with other providers to help you manage all AFib risk factors and design a treatment plan tailored to your needs. 
 

Innovations in AFib Treatment

Our team is at the forefront of AFib clinical research, offering cutting-edge technologies for ablation and other advanced therapies. We have presented at national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Piedmont Heart is focused on improving care and outcomes through research and discovery, including atrial fibrillation clinical trials.

Innovative treatment options now available at Piedmont Heart include:

• Hybrid Convergent Procedure: This is a procedure that tackles hard-to-treat atrial fibrillation. Hybrid Convergent Procedure is done in two stages and is minimally invasive. One to treat the inside of the heart, and the other to treat the outside of the heart. When completed, it helps to block abnormal electrical signals and keep your heart in normal rhythm. You will meet with both a cardiac surgeon and electrophysiologist. The cardiac surgeon will treat the outside of the heart and the electrophysiologist will treat the inside of the heart. Please speak with your physician if you are interested in learning more about this procedure.


• Pulsed Field Ablation: PFA is a new and innovative technology that offers a different approach to treating atrial fibrillation without using heat or cold. Instead, PFA relies on high voltage electrical pulses delivered to the heart tissue. These pulses are like tiny bursts of energy that target the areas that cause the abnormal rhythm. Unlike traditional methods, this technology targets only the tissue that needs to be treated. Please speak with your physician if you are interested in learning more about this procedure.

Make an Appointment with the AFib Clinic

We work with patients, their referring physicians and their families to manage each patient's care with a personalized approach to care. To make an appointment with an AFib specialist or to refer a patient, please call 404-605-2888. Our fax number is 404-367-2962.