AF Symposium 2015: What You Need to Know About AHA/ACC/HRS Treatment Guideline Changes

Dr. Hugh Calkins
Dr. Hugh Calkins from Johns Hopkins University discussed the new AHA/ACC/HRS Guidelines for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation and how they now differ somewhat from the European (ESC) Guidelines. The AHA/ACC/HRS Guidelines are an important reference for your cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Read my summary of his presentation including these key points:
• Aspirin no longer recommended as first-line therapy (downgraded in the 2006 and 2014 guidelines);
• Gender-bias in Guidelines?: Should every woman with A-Fib be given a point on the Guidelines risk scale?;
• What Happens to Someone Taking Anticoagulants for Years?: Unlike what you hear in today’s advertising, anticoagulants are not like taking vitamins;
• Concern About Leaving Patients in A-Fib: If you leave someone in A-Fib, you may never be able to get them back into sinus rhythm.
Learn must more from Dr. Calkins presentation. Read my AHA/ACC/HRS Guidelines summary report.