Antiarrhythmic medications are used to suppress fast rhythms of the heart, such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. These medications help return the heart to its normal rhythm, maintain the rhythm once it has been achieved, and/or convert atrial fibrillation into a normal rhythm. They often are used for people who have severe symptoms of atrial fibrillation or whose symptoms are bothersome.
Anticoagulant medications help prevent blood clots from occuring by increasing the time it takes a blood clot to form. In addtion, they help prevent existing clots from growing larger and reduce the chances that pieces of a clot will break off and cause a stroke or heart attack. For peolple with atrial fibrillation, anticoagulants reduce the risk of stroke.