We recommend that the goals of ventricular rate control should be to improve symptoms and clinical outcomes which are attributable to excessive ventricular rates. (Recommendation Strong, Quality Low)<br /><br /> We recommend that the goals of rhythm control therapy should be to improve patient symptoms and clinical out- comes and that these goals do not necessarily imply the elimination of all AF. (Recommendation Strong, Quality Moderate)<br /><br /><b>Values and preferences: </b> These recommendations place a high value on the decision of individual patients to balance relief of symptoms and improvement in QOL and other clinical outcomes with the potentially greater adverse effects of class I or class III antiarrhythmic drugs compared with rate-control therapy.