Heart failure in patients with atrial fibrillation: why it matters now more than ever

Treatment strategies for patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic heart failure

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and may lead to the development of chronic heart failure (CHF). Each condition predisposes to the other, requiring a careful choice of the treatment strategy. This article is devoted to the prevalence and prognostic implications of both diseases. The article presents data from meta-analyzes related to the management of this group of patients. The aspects of rhythm control strategy in AF and concomitant CHF are described according to the recent studies and clinical guidelines. The features of anticoagulant therapy in patients with AF and CHF are outlined. Much attention is given to the importance of the safety profile of the anticoagulant therapy in terms of the bleeding risk in patients with concomitant AF and CHF.