When managing atrial fibrillation, clinicians face a pivotal choice...control the heart rate or restore normal rhythm. In this episode, we explore emerging evidence showing that for patients with long standing atrial fibrillation, neither strategy clearly outperforms the other in overall cardiovascular outcomes. However, timing changes everything. For patients diagnosed within the past year, early rhythm control can significantly reduce the risk of stroke and cardiac related death. Join us as we break down why the age of the condition, not just the treatment option, should guide clinical decision making.