Almanac 2011: Cardiac Arrhythmias and Pacing. The National Society Journals Present Selected Research that has Driven Recent Advances in Clinical Cardiology

In the past 2 years, a number of landmark clinical trials have been published which further our understanding and clinical management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Two of the major goals in the treatment of this condition include reducing progression or recurrence of the arrhythmia and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular events, thereby improving quality of life and decreasing morbidity. Following on from a large body of evidence from preclinical studies, small clinical trials and meta-analyses suggesting that blockade of the renin–angiotensin system has beneficial effects on the pathophysiology of AF,1 two large multicentre, placebo-controlled, randomised trials were conducted to determine the effects of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) on AF.