Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common supraventricular arrhythmia, affecting 2-3% of the adult population, with an increasing prevalence due to demographic shifts; however, detection methods have also improved. This rhythm disorder is associated with significant morbidity, manifesting through symptoms that worsen the quality of life, as well as with adverse outcomes and increased mortality. The substantial AF burden on the healthcare system necessitates the development of effective and durable treatment strategies. While pharmacological management represents the first-line approach for AF, the limitations associated with this approach, including side effects and insufficient efficacy, have promoted the evolution of catheter ablation techniques that isolate pulmonary veins (PVs) and, thus, disrupt arrhythmia-causing impulses from the atria. Currently, three energy sources have gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European regulatory approval (The Conformité Européene (CE) mark certification) for catheter ablation: radiofrequency ablation (RFA), cryoballoon ablation (CBA), and, more recently, pulsed-field ablation (PFA). RFA has subsequently become an effective treatment, demonstrating superior outcomes in randomized controlled trials compared to antiarrhythmic drug therapy. CBA has also proven to be a safe and effective alternative, particularly for patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF, showing comparable efficacy to RFA and similar rates of complications. Meanwhile, PFA is emerging as a promising technique, offering non-inferior efficacy to conventional thermal methods while potentially minimizing the thermal damage to adjacent tissues associated with RFA and CBA. Despite higher equipment costs, the advantages of PFA in reducing complications highlight its potential role in AF management. However, considering the novelty of PFA, no data currently exist comparing this strategy with thermal techniques. Therefore, further research is needed to improve the management of AF and patient outcomes to reduce healthcare burdens.