Is a pacemaker a solution for arterial fibrillation?

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Is a pacemaker a solution for arterial fibrillation?

Expert Answer

James Frank is Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the V.A. Medical Center in San Francisco.

If the high heart rate caused by atrial fibrillation can't be controlled with medications, then a pacemaker might be used. Or if a patient has other problems with the conducting system in his heart, then a pacemaker might be used. But atrial fibrillation is most commonly managed with medications that control the heart rate and anticoagulants. The best person to advise you is your own physician, who will be familiar with the details of your case.