Description

Atrial fibrillation is the commonest arrhythmia in elderly patients. It presents a difficult challenge to the physician because such patients have multiple underlying disorders. It is important to keep in mind that atrial fibrillation is not an entirely benign arrhythmia. Its consequences can result in increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, management of atrial fibrillation requires a careful assessment of the aetiology, duration, symptoms and the presence of any other underlying disease in these patients. The management strategy should be such that a balance is maintained between the benefits and risks of therapy. Although many new treatment options are now available, their choice in elderly people is limited. Most of the therapeutic agents are poorly tolerated in these patients because of their side effects or they are contraindicateddue to concomitant disease. In this article, we have reviewed the fundamental approach to the management of atrial fibrillation in old age, based on current literature.