Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained arrhythmia observed in clinical practice, is a chronic and progressive disorder characterized by exacerbations and remissions. Guidelines recommend antiarrhythmic drugs as the initial therapy for the maintenance of sinus rhythm; however, antiarrhythmic drugs have modest efficacy to maintain sinus rhythm and can be associated with significant adverse effects. An initial treatment strategy of cryoballoon catheter ablation in patients with treatment-naïve AF has been shown to significantly improve arrhythmia outcomes (freedom from any, or symptomatic atrial tachyarrhythmia), produce clinically meaningful improvements in patient-reported outcomes (symptoms and quality of life), and significantly reduce subsequent health care resource use (hospitalization), and it does not increase the risk of serious or any adverse events compared with initial antiarrhythmic drug therapy. These findings are relevant to inform patients, providers, and health care systems regarding the initial choice of rhythm-control therapy in patients with treatment-naïve AF.

心房颤动 (AF) 是临床实践中观察到的最常见的持续性心律失常，是一种以恶化和缓解为特征的慢性进行性疾病。指南推荐抗心律失常药物作为维持窦性心律的初始治疗；然而，抗心律失常药物对维持窦性心律的作用不大，并且可能会产生显着的不良反应。初治 AF 患者冷冻球囊导管消融的初始治疗策略已被证明可显着改善心律失常结果（免于任何或有症状的房性心动过速），对患者报告的结果（症状和生活质量）产生具有临床意义的改善，并显着减少后续的医疗资源使用（住院），与初始抗心律失常药物治疗相比，它不会增加严重或任何不良事件的风险。这些发现有助于告知患者、提供者和卫生保健系统有关初治 AF 患者节律控制治疗的初始选择。