Atrial fibrillation is the number-one sustained cardiac arrhythmia—do you know how to properly treat someone with this condition?

You will if you attend Tuesday’s session “Atrial Fibrillation Update 2015: Don’t Miss a Beat,” given by Corey M. Slovis, MD, FACEP, professor and chairman of the department of emergency medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Dr. Slovis plans to discuss the nonacute risks that atrial fibrillation patients have—namely, stroke—and how they tie into the need for anticoagulation therapy. His session will focus on the CHA2DS2VASC score, which is a simplified scoring system to assess if a patient with atrial fibrillation requires anticoagulation therapy when leaving the ED. The scoring system includes factors such as heart failure, age, and hypertension history.

Dr. Slovis’ session will address controlling rate versus controlling rhythm. He will also talk about trying to convert atrial fibrillation patients with a calcium channel blocker versus a beta blocker. Cardioversion and recommendations for pad placement also will be discussed.

Dr. Slovis plans to discuss the nonacute risks that atrial fibrillation patients have—namely, stroke—and how they tie into the need for anticoagulation therapy.

Another part of the session will focus on anticoagulation therapy. Many emergency physicians are familiar with Coumadin (warfarin), but there are now medications called novel oral anticoagulants, or NOACs, that don’t require regular blood testing and involve taking just one or two pills a day.

“It’s our job to work with the patient’s primary care physician to start these in the emergency department,” Dr. Slovis said. “It turns out if you start these in the emergency department, patients stay on them. If you wait to refer to the primary care physician, it can take six to nine months until they are treated, and they are at risk for stroke in the meantime.”

Vanessa Caceres is a freelance medical writer based in Florida.

Dr. Slovis

Atrial Fibrillation Update 2015: Don’t Miss a Beat

Tuesday, Oct. 27
9:30–9:55 a.m.
Room 153 ABC