The purpose of this trial is to determine whether dronedarone is effective in slowing the progression of fibrosis and decreasing atrial fibrillation recurrence in patients who have undergone ablation therapy.~Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing ablation will be stratified by age and gender (>65 years and <65 years, male and female) as well as by type of atrial fibrillation (paroxysmal, persistent, etc.) and then randomized to one of two trial groups. They will either receive dronedarone 400 mg BID (twice daily) (treatment group) or placebo (control group). The control group will be started on placebo, and treating physicians will be advised to limit the initiation of anti-arrhythmic drugs (standard of care, SOC) to necessary cases only, avoiding amiodarone and dronedarone.~Each patient will receive a pre-ablation Cardiac Magnetic Resonance imaging (CMR) (SOC) scan, followed by scans at 3 and 12-month post-ablation. Quality of Life (QoL) changes will be evaluated from baseline and at 3 months and 12-months via the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-Of-Life (AFEQT) online questionnaire form. AF burden (frequency, duration and severity of an AF episode) if present, will be evaluated from baseline and at 3 months and 12-months via the Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale (AFSS) online questionnaire form.~Patients will be followed post-ablation for AF recurrence and burden assessment with a continuous 30-day ECG wearable patch starting at discharge (SOC), then at 3,6,9 and 12 months post-ablation~Phone call visits will occur at 6 and 9 months to monitor for medication compliance as well as to assess that devices are working accordingly. Evaluation of adverse events (AE's) as well as whether a patient has reached any trial endpoints will be analyzed at this time.~Physicians will be advised to avoid adjustments in drug therapy unless necessary (severely symptomatic patients, patients with heart failure). Severely symptomatic patients will be defined as, patients with non-tolerated palpitations or chest pain, dizziness, syncope, dyspnea, or suddenly reduced ability to exercise.~Any initiation or change of an anti-arrhythmic treatment in the treatment or control group will be considered as a secondary endpoint. Patients will continue to be monitored for fibrosis progression and AF burden via CMR scans and ECG wearable devices until the end of the follow-up period. In the case of AF recurrence after ablation, anti-arrhythmic drugs (AAD) initiation or change will be left to the discretion of the treating physician.
Patients who have undergone cardiac ablation will be randomized and blinded to one of two groups; one group will receive dronedarone while the other group will receive a placebo. The incidence of atrial fibrillation recurrence, as well as atrial fibrosis progression, will be analyzed between the two trial groups.