Basic concept of atrial fibrillation Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common persistent arrhythmia, with an incidence of more than 5% in people over 65 years of age. Atrial fibrillation not only makes patients feel panic, shortness of breath, chest tightness, weakness and mental discomfort, but also aggravates the existing symptoms of heart failure and angina pectoris. Stroke occurs in 4-5% of patients with atrial fibrillation each year, and patients who have had a history of stroke are more likely to have a recurrence. Cerebral thrombosis caused by atrial fibrillation is the main culprit in 1/4 to 1/3 of patients with hemiplegia. The main hazards of atrial fibrillation (1) blood stagnation in the atria is prone to the formation of blood clots, which fall off and lead to cerebral embolism limb paralysis, embolism of the heart, intestines, kidneys, limbs, etc.; (2) frequent episodes can lead to significant atrial enlargement, with the left atrial volume increasing 2-3 times in 2-3 years in some patients; (3) uncoordinated atrial contraction and partial loss of cardiac function, generally estimated at 15-20%, aggravating and worsening the existing (4) frequent episodes producing panic, dizziness, blackness and even syncope. The presence or absence of symptoms in patients with atrial fibrillation depends on the following factors: 1. ventricular rate: easy to appear when the heart beats too fast or too slow 2. ventricular rhythm: absolute arrhythmia in atrial fibrillation, and more likely to be symptomatic when it is severely arrhythmic 3, cardiac function status: the worse the cardiac function status, the more symptoms. 4.Concomitant diseases. 5, the sensitivity and tolerability of the patient’s perceived symptoms: when atrial fibrillation first occurs, there can be obvious symptoms, and as the course of the disease lengthens, some patients can gradually adapt, and the symptoms may be reduced or even disappear, but the harm is not reduced. Common symptoms of atrial fibrillation include: palpitations (a stronger beating sensation of the heart): associated with a strong and weak heart beat, most often occurring when the heart rate is too fast and too slow and with severe arrhythmias. Dizziness: associated with a decrease in cardiac output during arrhythmias, which affects the blood supply to the brain. Fatigue and shortness of breath: especially in those with organic heart disease and cardiac dysfunction. A small number of patients with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms and are detected by chance. For frequent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, several antiarrhythmic drugs can be used for pharmacological treatment, but it is impossible to cure atrial fibrillation, and it is enough to reduce the number of episodes and the duration of atrial fibrillation. Therefore, for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation with frequent episodes, radiofrequency ablation is recommended as the first-line treatment in large hospitals that have the conditions to eliminate atrial fibrillation. For patients with persistent or chronic atrial fibrillation, it is difficult to convert atrial fibrillation to a normal sinus rhythm with drug therapy, and most patients may require drug control of the ventricular rate and anticoagulation therapy. Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation Catheter ablation is a new treatment for atrial fibrillation that has been developed in recent years. It is a technique in which a very thin (2.7 mm diameter) catheter is delivered through a vein to specific parts of the heart, usually the connection between the atria and the pulmonary veins, where the atrial fibrillation lesion is located, and then radiofrequency or other energy (e.g., ultrasound) is released for treatment. This technique is used to treat the root cause of atrial fibrillation. The catheter ablation procedure is suitable for people with paroxysmal AF, paroxysmal AF with frequent episodes or significant symptoms, AF with ineffective drug maintenance, AF with chronic AF and even AF with combined heart failure are all eligible for catheter ablation. Patients with typical paroxysmal AF, young, without systemic heart disease, with frequent episodes and no heart enlargement are the most typical, and the success rate of a single catheter ablation can reach about 80%.