What is the role of diltiazem in managing atrial fibrillation?

Diltiazem is a calcium channel blocker that primarily acts on the heart and blood vessels. In the management of atrial fibrillation, its primary role is to decrease heart rate. When a patient experiences atrial fibrillation, the heart can beat very quickly and irregularly, potentially leading to complications such as heart failure or worsening symptoms.

By slowing down the conduction through the atrioventricular (AV) node, diltiazem effectively reduces the ventricular response rate. This is particularly important in atrial fibrillation, as managing the heart rate can improve symptoms and enhance overall cardiac function. While diltiazem does not convert the rhythm back to normal sinus rhythm, its ability to decrease the heart rate helps to stabilize patients and improve their clinical status during episodes of atrial fibrillation.

In the context of the other choices, increasing the heart rate would be counterproductive in this scenario, and while some medications are designed to convert the rhythm to sinus rhythm, diltiazem is not one of them. Additionally, diltiazem does not prevent the formation of clots, which is managed through anticoagulants.