Cardioversion is usually the first thing they ll do in the setting of new-onset afib. There are many people that revert back to afib. Sometimes they will do another cardioversion, and place you on an anti-arrhythmic medication. There are several different ones they can try; Sotalol (Betapace), Tikosyn (Dofetilide), Rythmol (Propafenone), or Amiodarone. There are some people that fail anti-arrhythmic therapy as well, and at that point can be referred to a rhythm specialist or electrophysiologist to see if they are a candidate for an ablation. This procedure is done to try to eliminate the source of the arrhythmia (basically they ablate or cauterize the part of the heart where the abnormal rhythm is coming from..) Finally, some patients just decide to remain in afib and the goal is then rate control and long term anti-coagulation with Coumadin. Usually this is the plan for someone who is completely asymptomatic with the rhythm. Afib, like most atrial arrhythmias is a nuisance of a rhythm and sometimes really hard to control. Hope this helps somewhat.