What are the treatments for atrial fibrillation?

Several: New- blood thinning and cardio version, heart rate controlling drugs. Age and other chronic medical conditions will likely guide your therapy also.

It Varies.: The most important treatment is stroke prevention, which is usually done by medications (aspirin or warfarin). Sometimes rate control medications are used, like metoprolol. If the af is severe enough, stronger anti-arrhythmic medications are used, like propafenone. If these do not work, catheter ablation may be recommended. Pacemaker and av-node ablation may be used as a last resort.

3 things: 1) Stroke prevention: nothing vs. blood thinner vs. aspirin depending on total score for stroke risk. 2) Rate control: with meds to goal heart rate 80-110 bpm when in AF if that controls symptoms. 3) Rhythm control: for symptomatic AF. Can be achieved with meds or ablation procedure. Success rates of either are not 100% yet. Ablation can be offered from the get go and not wait till meds fail.