I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) several years ago. It was quite a surprise because I have been an exercise maniac for my entire adult life and have healthy weight, lipid levels, and blood pressure. Only then did I learn that AF is common among people who participate in long-term endurance exercise. Professional athletes have high rates of AF, with some studies finding rates as high as 32% to 63%.1
Thus, it was really interesting to work on this edition of FP Essentials. Sections One and Two are devoted to various aspects of dealing with AF, including rate control, rhythm control, ablation, and anticoagulation. It was good to see that ablation is increasingly becoming a first-line treatment. In addition, the geriatrician in me was glad to see the authors point out the need for anticoagulation in older adults with AF, who often do not receive that therapy because many physicians are hesitant to prescribe anticoagulation to older adults. However, the authors point out that older adults receive the most benefit from anticoagulation for AF.
Other topics reviewed in this edition are several supraventricular and ventricular rhythm disorders (Section Three), along with inflammatory disorders (pericarditis and myocarditis) in Section Four, the latter having received a lot of attention during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I hope you will find the information in this edition to be as interesting and useful as I did. There is a lot to learn about these conditions.
Barry D. Weiss, MD, FAAFP, Medical Editor
Professor, Department Family and Community Medicine
University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson
