The Modern Management of Minimally Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation in the Post-AFFIRM Era.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and presents a unique management challenge for the physician. Given the variability of clinical presentation as well as the variability of clinical sequelae, no single approach meets all patients' needs. This challenging arrhythmia has recently been reviewed in the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/European Society of Cardiology guidelines. This comprehensive document goes a long way toward organizing clinical treatment approaches. However, new information gathered in the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) trial further helps the clinician with clinical assessment. Together, these major documents are invaluable to the clinician and provide a rational basis on which to make clinical decisions.