Management Options in Atrial Fibrillation – The Role of Vernakalant

Abstract

AF is characterised by uncoordinated electrical activation of the atria, apparent as the absence of coordinated P waves on the ECG. This rapid supraventricular activity then leads to an irregularly irregular and usually rapid ventricular response rate.[1] The pathophysiology of AF is complex and likely to be multifactorial. Its existence is reliant on the structural and electrical remodelling of the left atrium, which provides the substrate that sustains the arrhythmia. Often, AF is initiated by a trigger originating from the root of the pulmonary veins. [2, 3]