Suppression of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation by Pacing

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) affects approximately five million people world- wide. The incidence of AF increases with aging and more common in males.1 Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiogenic cause of stroke and exacerbates heart failure. Despite the prevalence of AF, it is still one of the most difficult arrhythmia to treat.2 The management option of AF ranges from pharmacological therapy, catheter based ablation and surgery. However, non-traditional uses of pacemaker therapy have been reported in recent past. Pacing therapies for AF are specific to the nature of the patients AF. 3,4 Pharmacological management alone is the typical initial course of action. In AF cases where rapid ventricular rates cannot be controlled by pharmacological therapy, ventricular pacing therapy may be combined with radiofrequency catheter ablation of AV node.