3 Topic Commentaries

Does Weight Loss Intervention Improve Persistent AF?

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  Gregory M. Marcus, MD, MAS

  Cardiology

  •

  University of California, San Francisco

  Professional societies and the National Institutes of Health have highlighted the importance of addressing lifestyle factors as a pillar in the management of atrial fibrillation. Central among these is weight loss in individuals with overweight (body mass index [BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared] between ≥27 and <30) and obesity (BMI ≥30), which now garners a class 1 recommendation in both US and European guidelines to reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation. The evidence supporting those recommendations is extensive.

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• 

  Rajeev Pathak, MD

  Cardiac Electrophysiology

  •

  University of Adelaide

  We found that sustained weight loss is achievable in obese patients and that it can significantly reduce the burden of atrial fibrillation.

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  Matteo Sclafani, MD

  Cardiology

  •

  University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital

  Meaning Moderate dietary weight loss was not an effective treatment strategy in this trial in older patients with persistent AF.

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