Guidelines recommend a trial of one or more antiarrhythmic drugs before catheter ablation is considered in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, first-line ablation may be more effective in maintaining sinus rhythm. Jason Andrade outlines research on patients receiving initial treatment for symptomatic, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and finds there was a significantly lower rate of atrial fibrillation recurrence with catheter cryoballoon ablation than with antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Image courtesy of Jason Andrade.

Image courtesy of interviewee