COMPARING OUTCOMES OF CATHETER ABLATION VS. ANTIARRHYTHMIC DRUGS IN ATRIAL FIBRILLATION: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent arrhythmia that leads to an increased risk of stroke, heart failure, and mortality. Traditionally, antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) have been used to manage AF, but catheter ablation (CA) has emerged as an alternative therapy, offering the potential for more durable results. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to compare the outcomes of CA and AADs in patients with symptomatic, drug-refractory AF. The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of CA versus AADs in maintaining sinus rhythm over a 12-month period. Secondary endpoints included hospital readmission rates, quality of life, and adverse events. Our study showed that CA was superior to AADs in maintaining sinus rhythm (p < 0.01), with a higher success rate of 85% compared to 55% in the AAD group. Furthermore, patients in the CA group had fewer hospital readmissions (p = 0.03) and significantly better quality-of-life scores (p < 0.001). The incidence of adverse events was similar between both groups, indicating a comparable safety profile. These findings suggest that CA may offer a more effective long-term solution for AF management compared to AADs. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting CA as a first-line treatment for patients with drug-refractory AF.