[Ablation for atrial fibrillation in the elderly]

Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol. 2017 Mar;28(1):39-47. doi: 10.1007/s00399-017-0484-4. Epub 2017 Jan 30.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation is mainly an arrhythmia among the elderly. The current ESC guideline determines that there is no justification to deny atrial fibrillation ablation to any age group; however, the guideline does not provide specific scientific data. Thus, the goal of this article is to summarize the data on efficacy and safety of atrial fibrillation ablation among elderly people and give treatment recommendations: (1) The success of atrial fibrillation ablation is the same between elderly and younger patients. (2) In cohort studies there was a trend to higher stroke rates among elderly people. (3) Negative predictors for stroke are an age >80 years, heart failure, stroke in history, or/and CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥6.

Keywords: Ablation; Atrial fibrillation; Efficacy; Quality of life; Stroke.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Atrial Fibrillation / mortality*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / surgery*
  • Catheter Ablation / mortality*
  • Catheter Ablation / statistics & numerical data*
  • Causality
  • Comorbidity
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internationality
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications / mortality*
  • Postoperative Complications / prevention & control
  • Prevalence
  • Stroke / mortality*
  • Stroke / prevention & control
  • Survival Rate
  • Treatment Outcome