Management of atrial fibrillation in the emergency department and following acute myocardial infarction

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia managed by emergency physicians and there is increasing evidence that selected patients with acute AF can be safely managed in the emergency departinent without the need for hospital admission. The principles of management are identification and treatment of precipitating or underlying causes, hemodynamic stabilization/rate control, reduction of thromboembolism risk and the conversion/maintenance of sinus rhythm. A strategy of rate or rhythm control should be chosen based on the patient's clinical status, the duration of AF, the experience of the treating physician and the status of anticoagulation. Before either electric or pharmacological cardioversion, anticoagulation should be considered. Most patients should be given heparin or low molecular weight heparin while preparing for cardioversion. All patients should be considered for long-term anticoagulation based on their thromboembolic risk and bleeding risk from antithrombotic therapy. Following restoration of sinus rhythm, a decision regarding the use of antiarrhyhmic drugs should be made based on the estimated frequency of recurrence and degree of symptoms. In the setting of acute myocardial infarction, beta-blockers should be administered whenever possible. If beta-blockers are contraindicated, the rate can be slowed with digoxin or amiodarone. Cardioversion should be performed if the patient is hemodynamically unstable. Class IC antiarrhythinic drugs should not be administered in this setting.