The articles were grouped into four main categories : decision aids and outcome predictors , electrical cardioversion-based protocol s , antiarrhythmic-based protocol s , and general management protocol s. Conclusion This systematic review is the first study to our knowledge to evaluate the optimal management of symptomatic AF/AFLin  the ED with a direct impact on ED disposition .
There are several viable management strategies that can result in safe discharge from the ED in the right patient population , and decision aids can be utilized to guide selection of appropriate patients for discharge
Introduction Management of  atrial fibrillation ( AF ) and atrial flutter ( AFL )  in the emergency department ( ED ) varies greatly , and there are currently no United States guidelines to guide management with regard to patient disposition after ED treatment .
The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the literature for decision aids to guide disposition of patients with AF/AFLin the ED , and assess potential outcomes associated with different management strategies in the ED .
Effect of a Multidisciplinary Approach for the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation in the Emergency Department on Hospital Admission Rate and Length of Stay.
Management of  atrial fibrillation ( AF )  in the emergency department ( ED ) is variable because of the absence of universally adopted treatment guidelines . To address potentially preventable hospital admissions and prolonged length of stay , an AF treatment pathway was co-developed by physicians from the cardiac electrophysiology service and the department of emergency medicine at our institution . The impact of this AF pathway on patient outcomes was evaluated with a prospect i ve , observational study conducted in a single tertiary care center from July 1 , 2013 , to June 30 , 2014 . The primary study outcome was the rate of hospital admission . The secondary outcomes were duration of ED visit and inpatient length of stay . The 94 patients treated according to the AF pathway during the study period were less likely to be admitted than the 265 patients who received routine care ( 16 % vs 80 % , p < 0.001 ) . For admitted patients , the mean length of stay was shorter for patients treated according to the AF pathway ( 32 vs 85 hours , p = 0.002 ) . The time spent in the ED was longer for patients in the AF pathway ( 16 vs 85 hours , p < 0.001 ) . Utilization of a multidisciplinary pathway for management of AF  in the ED led to a significant reduction in the rate of hospital admission .  Patients who were admitted after receiving care according to the AF pathway had a shorter length of stay . In conclusion , utilization of a multidisciplinary AF pathway result ed in a 5-fold reduction in admission rate and > 2-fold reduction length of stay for admitted patients
The articles were grouped into four main categories : decision aids and outcome predictors , electrical cardioversion-based protocol s , antiarrhythmic-based protocol s , and general management protocol s. Conclusion This systematic review is the first study to our knowledge to evaluate the optimal management of symptomatic AF/AFLin  the ED with a direct impact on ED disposition .
There are several viable management strategies that can result in safe discharge from the ED in the right patient population , and decision aids can be utilized to guide selection of appropriate patients for discharge
Introduction Management of  atrial fibrillation ( AF ) and atrial flutter ( AFL )  in the emergency department ( ED ) varies greatly , and there are currently no United States guidelines to guide management with regard to patient disposition after ED treatment .
The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the literature for decision aids to guide disposition of patients with AF/AFLin the ED , and assess potential outcomes associated with different management strategies in the ED .