Catheter Ablation for Afib: An Ongoing Debate

Pressure is mounting for physicians to use catheter ablation to treat atrial fibrillation — although for this indication, the procedure hasn't been approved, is controversial, and often isn't reimbursed completely, the New York Times reports.
The Heart Rhythm Society, in partnership with the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and three other medical groups, recently issued a consensus statement recommending catheter ablation for afib patients who do not respond to drug therapy and, in rare cases, as a first-line therapy.
Advocates say that, compared with drugs, atrial ablation does a better job of preventing recurrent fibrillation and is ultimately more cost-effective. Critics argue that early trials are promising but flawed and that outcomes may not be as positive as they appear.
The FDA will soon hold a public meeting on the off-label use of various devices and drugs to treat atrial fibrillation.