AF Symposium 2015: Living in A-Fib More Dangerous Than Having an Ablation

Jose Kautzner MD
Living in A-Fib is more dangerous than having an ablation, according to Dr. Josef Kautzner from Prague, the Czech Republic.
Studies have documented that the adverse effects of living in A-Fib, having to take A-Fib drugs and anticoagulants for life are both pragmatically and statistically worse than having an ablation. Any time you go into a hospital is a risk, and no one would say that a catheter ablation is a walk in the park.
But an ablation is a low risk procedure (though not risk free). The risk is similar to having a tubal ligation or vasectomy. The possible adverse effects of an ablation procedure (like bleeding at the groin) are generally temporary, unlike the lasting, permanent damage you can do to your heart and body by living in A-Fib for years.