New medical guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) incorporating the latest atrial fibrillation (afib) research put Europe ahead of the U.S. when it comes to standardized treatment of the condition. Stroke prevention and symptom relief are at the heart of the new ESC guidelines, which also make it clear that the risk of stroke for those with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation should be considered on par with the stroke risk for those with persistent and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation. The guidelines are also the first to recommend catheter ablation as a first-line treatment for certain afib patients and to preemptively include drugs that have not yet received European regulatory approval for afib, a departure from standard practice.
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