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Sample records for co-existing atrial fibrillation

  1. Co-existence of ischemic stroke in Rheumatic and non-rheumatic atrial Fibrillation in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Western Nepal

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    Ram Chandra Kafle

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Stroke is a major public health burden worldwide leading to long-term morbidity and even mortality. Atrial fibrillation (AF is the most common sustained arrhythmia and is an independent factor to increase risk of ischemic stroke. The risk of stroke further enhanced in rheumatic atrial fibrillation and affects younger population of developing countries.  The study has aimed to find out frequency of co-existence of stroke in AF and secondarily to look for age distribution of stroke and risk factors of AF.Materials & Methods: A retrospective analysis of trans-thoracic echocardiographic records of patients from 1st June 2009 to 31st June 2016 was done. Data were collected in a pre-structured proforma and analyzed.Results: Among 15767 echocardiographies, 577 (3.65% cases were recorded to have atrial fibrillation. Mean age 65(±15 years ranging from 14 to 100 years. Rheumatic heart disease was the second most common cause of atrial fibrillation after hypertension. The co-existence of ischemic stroke was seen in 87(15.07% cases with male to female ratio of 1:1.3. The proportion of stroke in rheumatic Atrial fibrillation was 21(18.75% which was higher than in non-Rheumatic atrial fibrillation 66(14.2%.Conclusion: Rheumatic heart disease is contributing as second most common cause of atrial fibrillation after hypertension, nearly one fourth of total stroke and most common (93% cause of stroke below the age of 45 years. Preventive strategies aimed at health awareness about rheumatic fever, screening programs at community level, early detection and treatment for hypertension and Rheumatic heart disease can contribute in reduction of stroke burden. 

  2. Atrial Fibrillation: Diagnosis

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    ... of this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Atrial Fibrillation Atrial Fibrillation: Diagnosis Past Issues / Winter 2015 Table of Contents ... of your body's cells and organs. Read More "Atrial Fibrillation" Articles Atrial Fibrillation / Who Is at Risk for ...

  3. Intracellular Calcium Dynamics and Autonomic Stimulation in Atrial Fibrillation: Mechanisms and Implications

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    Chung-Chuan Chou, MD

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available While atrial fibrillation is characterized by the co-existence of multiple activation waves within the atria, rapid activations in the pulmonary veins play an important role for the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation. In addition to reentry, non-reentrant mechanisms resulting from abnormal intracellular calcium handling and intracellular calcium overload can also be responsible for these rapid activations in the pulmonary veins. Meanwhile, alterations of autonomic tone, involving both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, have been implicated in initiating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. But the effectiveness of autonomic modulation as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy to catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation has been inconsistent. The interactions between the autonomic nervous system and atrial fibrillation are more complex than currently understood and further mechanistic and clinical studies are warranted.

  4. Atrial Fibrillation: Treatment

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    ... of this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Atrial Fibrillation Atrial Fibrillation: Treatment Past Issues / Winter 2015 Table of Contents Treatment for atrial fibrillation depends on how often you have symptoms, how ...

  5. Atrial Fibrillation: Complications

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    ... of this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Atrial Fibrillation Atrial Fibrillation: Complications Past Issues / Winter 2015 Table of Contents ... has two major complications—stroke and heart failure. Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke Click to enlarge image This illustration ...

  6. [Relations between FANS, PPI and atrial fibrillation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricci, Fabrizio; De Caterina, Raffaele

    2013-05-01

    Recent evidence supports the existence of an association between the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the risk of atrial fibrillation. Anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used for the treatment of systemic inflammatory disorders, and chronic inflammation is a well-known risk factor for the development of myocardial fibrosis. The latter accounts for atrial inhomogeneities of conduction, thus triggering and perpetuating atrial fibrillation. Atrial inflammatory remodeling may therefore be responsible for the higher incidence of atrial fibrillation among patients assuming steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs because of an underlying inflammatory disorders. Alternative theories contemplate gastroesophageal reflux, which is extremely common during the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and may trigger atrial fibrillation, as mediating the above-mentioned association.

  7. Surgery for atrial fibrillation.

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    Viganò, M; Graffigna, A; Ressia, L; Minzioni, G; Pagani, F; Aiello, M; Gazzoli, F

    1996-01-01

    The mechanisms of atrial fibrillation arc multiple reentry circuits spinning around the atrial surface, and these baffle any attempt to direct surgical interruption. The purpose of this article is to report the surgical experience in the treatment of isolated and concomitant atrial fibrillation at the Cardiac Surgical Institute of the University of Pavia. In cases of atrial fibrillation secondary to mitral/valve disease, surgical isolation of the left atrium at the time of mitral valve surgery can prevent atrial fibrillation from involving the right atrium, which can exert its diastolic pump function on the right ventricle. Left atrial isolation was performed on 205 patients at the time of mitral valve surgery. Atrial partitioning ("maze operation") creates straight and blind atrial alleys so that non-recentry circuits can take place. Five patients underwent this procedure. In eight-cases of atrial fibrillation secondary to atrial septal defect, the adult patients with atrial septal defect and chronic or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation underwent surgical isolation of the right atrium associated which surgical correction of the defect, in order to let sinus rhythm govern the left atrium and the ventricles. "Lone" atrial fibrillation occurs in hearts with no detectable organic disease. Bi-atrial isolation with creation of an atrial septal internodal "corridor" was performed on 14 patients. In cases of atrial fibrillation secondary to mitral valve disease, left atrial isolation was performed on 205 patients at the time of mitral valve surgery with an overall sinus rhythm recovery of 44%. In the same period, sinus rhythm was recovered and persisted in only 19% of 252 patients who underwent mitral valve replacement along (P < 0.001). Sinus rhythm was less likely to recover in patients with right atriomegaly requiring tricuspid valve annuloplasty: 59% vs 84% (P < 0.001). Restoration of the right atrial function raised the cardiac index from 2.25 +/- 0.55 1/min per m2

  8. Atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with heart failure and chronic atrial fibrillation : Role of duration of at atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Den Berg, MP; Crijns, HJGM; Van Veldhuisen, DJ; Van Gelder, IC; De Kam, PJ; Lie, KI

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the determinants of atrial natriuretic peptide level in patients with congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation. In particular, the duration of atrial fibrillation was analyzed because atrial fibrillation per se might have a specific effect on atrial

  9. Atrial fibrillation and hyperthyroidism: A literature review.

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    Reddy, Vivek; Taha, Wael; Kundumadam, Shanker; Khan, Mazhar

    Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia worldwide with increasing frequency noted with age. Hyperthyroidism is a well-known cause of atrial fibrillation with a 16%-60% prevalence of atrial fibrillation in patients with known hyperthyroidism Ross et al. (2016). While hyperthyroidism as a causative factor of atrial fibrillation is well established, this literature review aims to answer several questions on this topic including: 1. The relationship of atrial fibrillation to hyperthyroidism 2. Atrial fibrillation as a predictor of hyperthyroidism 3. The pathophysiology of thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation 4. Subclinical hyperthyroidism and the relationship with atrial fibrillation 5. Cardioversion and Catheter ablation of hyperthyroid patients with atrial fibrillation 6. Thrombotic risk of hyperthyroid patients with atrial fibrillation 7. Management of Thyrotoxic Atrial fibrillation 8. Pharmacological rhythm control in patients with hyperthyroidism and atrial fibrillation 9. Treatment of Hyperthyroidism to prevent atrial fibrillation 10. Clinical Implications of Hyperthyroidism and Atrial Fibrillation. Copyright © 2017 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Atrial fibrillation and delayed gastric emptying.

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    Isadora C Botwinick

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation and delayed gastric emptying (DGE are common after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Our aim was to investigate a potential relationship between atrial fibrillation and DGE, which we defined as failure to tolerate a regular diet by the 7(th postoperative day. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of 249 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy at our institution between 2000 and 2009. Data was analyzed with Fisher exact test for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney U or unpaired T-test for continuous variables. RESULTS: Approximately 5% of the 249 patients included in the analysis experienced at least one episode of postoperative atrial fibrillation. Median age of patients with atrial fibrillation was 74 years, compared with 66 years in patients without atrial fibrillation (p = 0.0005. Patients with atrial fibrillation were more likely to have a history of atrial fibrillation (p = 0.03. 92% of the patients with atrial fibrillation suffered from DGE, compared to 46% of patients without atrial fibrillation (p = 0.0007. This association held true when controlling for age. CONCLUSION: Patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation are more likely to experience delayed gastric emptying. Interventions to manage delayed gastric function might be prudent in patients at high risk for postoperative atrial fibrillation.

  11. Atrial fibrillation - discharge

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    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000237.htm Atrial fibrillation - discharge To use the sharing features on this ... have been in the hospital because you have atrial fibrillation . This condition occurs when your heart beats faster ...

  12. Relevance of Electrical Remodeling in Human Atrial Fibrillation Results of the Asymptomatic Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke Evaluation in Pacemaker Patients and the Atrial Fibrillation Reduction Atrial Pacing Trial Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Healey, Jeff S.; Israel, Carsten W.; Connolly, Stuart J.; Hohnloser, Stefan H.; Nair, Girish M.; Divakaramenon, Syamkumar; Capucci, Alessandro; Van Gelder, Isabelle C.; Lau, Chu-Pak; Gold, Michael R.; Carlson, Mark; Themeles, Ellison; Morillo, Carlos A.

    Background-In animal models of atrial fibrillation (AF), changes in atrial electrophysiological properties are associated with the development of AF. Their relevance to human AF is unclear. Methods and Results-The Asymptomatic Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke Evaluation in Pacemaker Patients and the

  13. Digoxin for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sethi, Naqash J; Nielsen, Emil E; Safi, Sanam

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: During recent years, systematic reviews of observational studies have compared digoxin to no digoxin in patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, and the results of these reviews suggested that digoxin seems to increase the risk of all-cause mortality regardless...... of concomitant heart failure. Our objective was to assess the benefits and harms of digoxin for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter based on randomized clinical trials. METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, SCI-Expanded, BIOSIS for eligible trials comparing digoxin versus placebo......, no intervention, or other medical interventions in patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter in October 2016. Our primary outcomes were all-cause mortality, serious adverse events, and quality of life. Our secondary outcomes were heart failure, stroke, heart rate control, and conversion to sinus rhythm...

  14. HYPERTHYROIDISM AND ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

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    I. M. Marusenko

    2017-01-01

    simultaneous existence of frequent focal impulses and circular motions of the excitation wave – the mechanism re-entry. Successful treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with thyrotoxicosis is possible only when euthyroidism is achieved. In most cases, after the elimination of thyrotoxicosis, a spontaneous restoration of the sinus rhythm is observed. The chances of sinus rhythm restoration are lower in elderly patients with concomitant organic diseases of the myocardium or long-term atrial fibrillation. Moreover, even radically cured thyrotoxicosis leads to deterioration in the life prognosis.

  15. Pharmacological Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation

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    Kaoru Sugi, MD PhD

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Pharmacological treatment for atrial fibrillation has a variety of purposes, such as pharmacological defibrillation, maintenance of sinus rhythm, heart rate control to prevent congestive heart failure and prevention of both cerebral infarction and atrial remodeling. Sodium channel blockers are superior to potassium channel blockers for atrial defibrillation, while both sodium and potassium channel blockers are effective in the maintenance of sinus rhythm. In general, digitalis or Ca antagonists are used to control heart rate during atrial fibrillation to prevent congestive heart failure, while amiodarone or bepridil also reduce heart rates during atrial fibrillation. Anticoagulant therapy with warfarin is recommended to prevent cerebral infarction and angiotensin converting enzyme antagonists or angiotensin II receptor blockers are also used to prevent atrial remodeling. One should select appropriate drugs for treatment of atrial fibrillation according to the patient's condition.

  16. Atrial fibrillation or flutter

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    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000184.htm Atrial fibrillation or flutter To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Atrial fibrillation or flutter is a common type of abnormal ...

  17. Genetics Home Reference: familial atrial fibrillation

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    ... Twitter Home Health Conditions Familial atrial fibrillation Familial atrial fibrillation Printable PDF Open All Close All Enable Javascript to view the expand/collapse boxes. Description Familial atrial fibrillation is an inherited abnormality of the heart's normal ...

  18. [Atrial fibrillation].

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    Spinar, J; Vítovec, J

    2003-09-01

    Atrial fibrilation is the most frequent arrhythmia, the occurrence increasing with age and associated diseases. The incidence at the age below 60 years is markedly lower than one per cent, whereas in persons above 80 years of age it exceeds six per cent. The occurrence in patients with heart failure is from 10% (NYHA II) up to 50% (NYHA IV). Atrial fibrillation is classified into that observed for the first time and permanent, respectively, while transient forms include paroxyzmal and persistent atrial fibrillation. The diagnosis is based on ECG recording, while echocardiography is most significant. The therapy includes two basic questions--anticoagulant or anti-aggregation treatment and the control of rhythm or frequency. The anticoagulant therapy should be introduced in all patients, where contraindications are not present, being necessary before every cardioversion, provided atrial fibrillation lasts more than two days. In patients without any heart disease and with a physiological echocardiogram it is possible to administer only anti-aggregation treatment. Cardioversion (the control of rhythm) is recommended to all symptomatic patients, in other cases and especially in older persons the control of frequency is safer and of more advantage. Electrical cardioversion is more effective that a pharmacological treatment, the sinus rhythm is preferably controlled by dofetilid, ibutilid, propafenon and amiodaron. For the control of heart rate beta-blockers, diltiazem, verapamil and digitalis are recommended.

  19. Atrial Fibrillation - Multiple Languages

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    ... Are Here: Home → Multiple Languages → All Health Topics → Atrial Fibrillation URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/languages/ ... V W XYZ List of All Topics All Atrial Fibrillation - Multiple Languages To use the sharing features on ...

  20. Effect of age on stroke prevention therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation: the atrial fibrillation investigators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van Walraven, Carl; Hart, Robert G; Connolly, Stuart

    2009-01-01

    contains patient level-data from randomized trials of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. We used Cox regression models with age as a continuous variable that controlled for sex, year of randomization, and history of cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and congestive heart failure......BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke risk increases with age in patients who have nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. It is uncertain whether the efficacy of stroke prevention therapies in atrial fibrillation changes as patients age. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of age...... on the relative efficacy of oral anticoagulants (OAC) and antiplatelet (AP) therapy (including acetylsalicylic acid and triflusal) on ischemic stroke, serious bleeding, and vascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation. METHODS: This is an analysis of the Atrial Fibrillation Investigators database, which...

  1. Atrial fibrillation in the elderly

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    Franken, Roberto A.; Rosa, Ronaldo F.; Santos, Silvio CM

    2012-01-01

    This review discusses atrial fibrillation according to the guidelines of Brazilian Society of Cardiac Arrhythmias and the Brazilian Cardiogeriatrics Guidelines. We stress the thromboembolic burden of atrial fibrillation and discuss how to prevent it as well as the best way to conduct cases of atrial fibrillatios in the elderly, reverting the arrhythmia to sinus rhythm, or the option of heart rate control. The new methods to treat atrial fibrillation, such as radiofrequency ablation, new oral direct thrombin inhibitors and Xa factor inhibitors, as well as new antiarrhythmic drugs, are depicted. PMID:22916053

  2. Atrial fibrillation and survival in colorectal cancer

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    Justin Timothy A

    2004-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Survival in colorectal cancer may correlate with the degree of systemic inflammatory response to the tumour. Atrial fibrillation may be regarded as an inflammatory complication. We aimed to determine if atrial fibrillation is a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. Patients and methods A prospective colorectal cancer patient database was cross-referenced with the hospital clinical-coding database to identify patients who had underwent colorectal cancer surgery and were in atrial fibrillation pre- or postoperatively. Results A total of 175 patients underwent surgery for colorectal cancer over a two-year period. Of these, 13 patients had atrial fibrillation pre- or postoperatively. Atrial fibrillation correlated with worse two-year survival (p = 0.04; log-rank test. However, in a Cox regression analysis, atrial fibrillation was not significantly associated with survival. Conclusion The presence or development of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer is associated with worse overall survival, however it was not found to be an independent factor in multivariate analysis.

  3. Atrial Fibrillation and Hyperthyroidism

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    Jayaprasad N

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation occurs in 10 – 15% of patients with hyperthyroidism. Low serum thyrotropin concentration is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation. Thyroid hormone contributes to arrythmogenic activity by altering the electrophysiological characteristics of atrial myocytes by shortening the action potential duration, enhancing automaticity and triggered activity in the pulmonary vein cardio myocytes. Hyperthyroidism results in excess mortality from increased incidence of circulatory diseases and dysrhythmias. Incidence of cerebral embolism is more in hyperthyroid patients with atrial fibrillation, especially in the elderly and anti-coagulation is indicated in them. Treatment of hyperthyroidism results in conversion to sinus rhythm in up to two-third of patients. Beta-blockers reduce left ventricular hypertrophy and atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hyperthyroidism. Treatment of sub clinical hyperthyroidism is controversial. Optimizing dose of thyroxine treatment in those with replacement therapy and beta-blockers is useful in exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism.

  4. Atrial and ventricular function after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.

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    Xiong, C.; Sonnhag, C.; Nylander, E.; Wranne, B.

    1995-01-01

    OBJECTIVE--Previous studies on atrial recovery after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation have not taken into account new knowledge about the pathophysiology of transmitral and transtricuspid flow velocity patterns. It is possible to shed further light on this problem if atrioventricular inflow velocity, venous filling pattern, and atrioventricular annulus motion are recorded and interpreted together. DESIGN--Prospective examinations of mitral and tricuspid transvalvar flow velocities, superior caval and pulmonary venous filling, and mitral and tricuspid annulus motion were recorded using Doppler echocardiography. Examinations were performed before and 24 hours, 1 month, and 20 months after cardioversion. SETTING--Tertiary referral centre for cardiac disease with facilities for invasive and non-invasive investigation. PATIENTS--16 patients undergoing cardioversion of atrial fibrillation in whom sinus rhythm had persisted for 24 hours or more. RESULTS--Before conversion there was no identifiable A wave in transvalvar flow recordings. The total motion of the tricuspid and mitral annulus was subnormal and there was no identifiable atrial component. Venous flow patterns in general showed a low systolic velocity. After conversion, A waves and atrial components were seen in all patients and increased significantly (P atrial components, an increased systolic component of venous inflow, an increased A wave velocity, and a decreased E/A ratio of the transvalvar velocity curves. The ventricular component of annulus motion was unchanged. Changes in general occurred earlier on the right side than the left. CONCLUSIONS--This study indicates that, in addition to the previously known electromechanical dissociation of atrial recovery that exists after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation, there may also be a transient deterioration of ventricular function modulating the transvalvar inflow velocity recordings. Function on the right side generally becomes normal earlier than on the

  5. Risk of atrial fibrillation in diabetes mellitus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pallisgaard, Jannik L; Schjerning, Anne-Marie; Lindhardt, Tommi B

    2016-01-01

    AIM: Diabetes has been associated with atrial fibrillation but the current evidence is conflicting. In particular knowledge regarding young diabetes patients and the risk of developing atrial fibrillation is sparse. The aim of our study was to investigate the risk of atrial fibrillation in patients...... with diabetes compared to the background population in Denmark. METHODS AND RESULTS: Through Danish nationwide registries we included persons above 18 years of age and without prior atrial fibrillation and/or diabetes from 1996 to 2012. The study cohort was divided into a background population without diabetes...... and a diabetes group. The absolute risk of developing atrial fibrillation was calculated and Poisson regression models adjusted for sex, age and comorbidities were used to calculate incidence rate ratios of atrial fibrillation. The total study cohort included 5,081,087 persons, 4,827,713 (95%) in the background...

  6. Changes in plasma atrial natriuretic factor in patients with idiopathic atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du Tongxin; Xia Xiaojie; Qu Wei; Wang Shukui; Sun Junjiang

    2002-01-01

    To observe the changes in plasma atrial natriuretic factor (AFN) in patients with idiopathic atrial fibrillation and investigate its mechanism, plasma ANF, platelet count and hematocrit were detected in 21 cases with transient idiopathic atrial fibrillation (group A, A1 representing attack, while A2 termination), 28 with persistent idiopathic atrial fibrillation (group B), 27 suffered from rheumatic heart disease with mitral stenosis and persistent atrial fibrillation (group C), 32 with transient supraventricular tachycardia (group D) and 20 normal controls (group E). It was found that the level of ANF was significantly higher in patients with attacking transient idiopathic atrial fibrillation than that in group A2, D and E (P 0.05), while there was significant difference in hematocrit in group A1 compared with group A2, D, E (P < 0.01). It suggested that ANF and hematocrit play an important role in the attack of idiopathic atrial fibrillation

  7. Right atrial isolation associated with atrial septal closure in patients with atrial septal defect and chronic atrial fibrillation.

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    Minzioni, G; Graffigna, A; Pagani, F; Vigano, M

    1993-12-01

    To restore sinus rhythm in the remaining heart chambers of six adult patients with atrial septal defect and chronic or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, electrical, right atrial isolation associated with surgical correction of the defect was performed. All but one patient was free from atrial fibrillation without medication 2-25 months after operation. The isolated right atrial appendages showed intrinsic rhythmical activity in five patients and no electrical activity in one. Right atrial isolation is a safe and effective procedure that abolishes atrial fibrillation in patients with arrhythmia after surgical correction of atrial septal defect.

  8. Increased amount of atrial fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation secondary to mitral valve disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geuzebroek, Guillaume S. C.; van Amersfoorth, Shirley C. M.; Hoogendijk, Mark G.; Kelder, Johannes C.; van Hemel, Norbert M.; de Bakker, Jacques M. T.; Coronel, Ruben

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Atrial fibrosis is related to atrial fibrillation but may differ in patients with mitral valve disease or lone atrial fibrillation. Therefore, we studied atrial fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation + mitral valve disease or with lone atrial fibrillation and compared it with

  9. Spectral of electrocardiographic RR intervals to indicate atrial fibrillation

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    Nuryani, Nuryani; Satrio Nugroho, Anto

    2017-11-01

    Atrial fibrillation is a serious heart diseases, which is associated on the risk of death, and thus an early detection of atrial fibrillation is necessary. We have investigated spectral pattern of electrocardiogram in relation to atrial fibrillation. The utilized feature of electrocardiogram is RR interval. RR interval is the time interval between a two-consecutive R peaks. A series of RR intervals in a time segment is converted to a signal with a frequency domain. The frequency components are investigated to find the components which significantly associate to atrial fibrillation. A segment is defined as atrial fibrillation or normal segments by considering a defined number of atrial fibrillation RR in the segment. Using clinical data of 23 patients with atrial fibrillation, we find that the frequency components could be used to indicate atrial fibrillation.

  10. Artificial atrial fibrillation in the dog. An artifact?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Strackee, J.; Hoelen, A.J.; Zimmerman, A.N.E.; Meijler, F.L.

    R-R interval sequences during artificial atrial fibrillation in dogs were studied in the same way as in patients in a previous study and compared with results obtained in dogs with spontaneous atrial fibrillation. Artificial atrial fibrillation was effected by right atrial stimulation in three

  11. Atrial fibrillation: Therapeutic potential of atrial K+ channel blockers.

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    Ravens, Ursula; Odening, Katja E

    2017-08-01

    Despite the epidemiological scale of atrial fibrillation, current treatment strategies are of limited efficacy and safety. Ideally, novel drugs should specifically correct the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for atrial fibrillation with no other cardiac or extracardiac actions. Atrial-selective drugs are directed toward cellular targets with sufficiently different characteristics in atria and ventricles to modify only atrial function. Several potassium (K + ) channels with either predominant expression in atria or distinct electrophysiological properties in atria and ventricles can serve as atrial-selective drug targets. These channels include the ultra-rapidly activating, delayed outward-rectifying Kv1.5 channel conducting I Kur , the acetylcholine-activated inward-rectifying Kir3.1/Kir3.4 channel conducting I K,ACh , the Ca 2+ -activated K + channels of small conductance (SK) conducting I SK , and the two pore domain K + (K2P) channels TWIK-1, TASK-1 and TASK-3 that are responsible for voltage-independent background currents I TWIK-1 , I TASK-1 , and I TASK-3 . Here, we briefly review the characteristics of these K + channels and their roles in atrial fibrillation. The antiarrhythmic potential of drugs targeting the described channels is discussed as well as their putative value in treatment of atrial fibrillation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Genetic basis of atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Campuzano

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia and remains as one of main challenges in current clinical practice. The disease may be induced secondary to other diseases such as hypertension, valvular heart disease, and heart failure, conferring an increased risk of stroke and sudden death. Epidemiological studies have provided evidence that genetic factors play an important role and up to 30% of clinically diagnosed patients may have a family history of atrial fibrillation. To date, several rare variants have been identified in a wide range of genes associated with ionic channels, calcium handling protein, fibrosis, conduction and inflammation. Important advances in clinical, genetic and molecular basis have been performed over the last decade, improving diagnosis and treatment. However, the genetics of atrial fibrillation is complex and pathophysiological data remains still unraveling. A better understanding of the genetic basis will induce accurate risk stratification and personalized clinical treatment. In this review, we have focused on current genetics basis of atrial fibrillation.

  13. Thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation.

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    Parmar, Malvinder S

    2005-01-04

    Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac complication of hyperthyroidism and occurs in 15% of patients with hyperthyroidism. It is associated with a higher risk of thromboembolism that often involves the central nervous system. Oral anticoagulation is important in the majority of these patients to prevent thromboembolic complications. These patients require adjustment in the dose of various rate-controlling agents because of increased clearance associated with hyperthyroidism and a decrease in warfarin dosage because of increased clearance of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. The management of thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation is summarized in this clinical review.

  14. RR-Interval variance of electrocardiogram for atrial fibrillation detection

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    Nuryani, N.; Solikhah, M.; Nugoho, A. S.; Afdala, A.; Anzihory, E.

    2016-11-01

    Atrial fibrillation is a serious heart problem originated from the upper chamber of the heart. The common indication of atrial fibrillation is irregularity of R peak-to-R-peak time interval, which is shortly called RR interval. The irregularity could be represented using variance or spread of RR interval. This article presents a system to detect atrial fibrillation using variances. Using clinical data of patients with atrial fibrillation attack, it is shown that the variance of electrocardiographic RR interval are higher during atrial fibrillation, compared to the normal one. Utilizing a simple detection technique and variances of RR intervals, we find a good performance of atrial fibrillation detection.

  15. Atrial fibrillation and vascular disease-a bad combination

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjerring Olesen, Jonas; Gislason, Gunnar Hilmar; Torp-Pedersen, Christian

    2012-01-01

    This article provides an overview of (i) the risk of stroke associated with vascular disease (acute coronary syndromes and peripheral artery disease) in patients with atrial fibrillation, (ii) the frequent coexistence of vascular disease in patients with atrial fibrillation and, (iii...... fibrillation. Indeed, patients with atrial fibrillation often had coexisting vascular disease (around 18%), and the combination of the two diseases substantially increases the risk of future cardiovascular events. The increased risk associated with peripheral artery disease in atrial fibrillation is even more...... pronounced. Patients with atrial fibrillation and stable vascular disease should be treated with oral anticoagulation only, although when these patients present with acute coronary syndrome and/or undergo coronary stenting, concomitant treatment with antiplatelet drugs is indicated. To guide antithrombotic...

  16. Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Staerk, Laila; Sherer, Jason A; Ko, Darae

    2017-01-01

    The past 3 decades have been characterized by an exponential growth in knowledge and advances in the clinical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). It is now known that AF genesis requires a vulnerable atrial substrate and that the formation and composition of this substrate may vary depending...... on comorbid conditions, genetics, sex, and other factors. Population-based studies have identified numerous factors that modify the atrial substrate and increase AF susceptibility. To date, genetic studies have reported 17 independent signals for AF at 14 genomic regions. Studies have established...

  17. Rising rates of hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Friberg, Jens; Buch, Nina Pernille Gardshodn; Scharling, Henrik

    2003-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia associated with excess morbidity and mortality. We studied temporal changes in hospital admission rates for atrial fibrillation using data from a prospective population-based cohort study spanning 2 decades (the Copenhagen City Heart Study).......Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia associated with excess morbidity and mortality. We studied temporal changes in hospital admission rates for atrial fibrillation using data from a prospective population-based cohort study spanning 2 decades (the Copenhagen City Heart Study)....

  18. Organized Atrial Tachycardias after Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

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    Castrejón-Castrejón, Sergio; Ortega, Marta; Pérez-Silva, Armando; Doiny, David; Estrada, Alejandro; Filgueiras, David; López-Sendón, José L.; Merino, José L.

    2011-01-01

    The efficacy of catheter-based ablation techniques to treat atrial fibrillation is limited not only by recurrences of this arrhythmia but also, and not less importantly, by new-onset organized atrial tachycardias. The incidence of such tachycardias depends on the type and duration of the baseline atrial fibrillation and specially on the ablation technique which was used during the index procedure. It has been repeatedly reported that the more extensive the left atrial surface ablated, the higher the incidence of organized atrial tachycardias. The exact origin of the pathologic substrate of these trachycardias is not fully understood and may result from the interaction between preexistent regions with abnormal electrical properties and the new ones resultant from radiofrequency delivery. From a clinical point of view these atrial tachycardias tend to remit after a variable time but in some cases are responsible for significant symptoms. A precise knowledge of the most frequent types of these arrhythmias, of their mechanisms and components is necessary for a thorough electrophysiologic characterization if a new ablation procedure is required. PMID:21941669

  19. Embolic Risk in Atrial Fibrillation that Arises from Hyperthyroidism

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    Traube, Elie; Coplan, Neil L.

    2011-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac complication of hyperthyroidism, occurs in an estimated 10% to 25% of overtly hyperthyroid patients. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation increases with age in the general population and in thyrotoxic patients. Other risk factors for atrial fibrillation in thyrotoxic patients include male sex, ischemic or valvular heart disease, and congestive heart failure. The incidence of arterial embolism or stroke in thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation is less clear. There are many reports of arterial thromboembolism associated with hyperthyroidism, including cases of young adults without coexisting risk factors other than thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation. The use of anticoagulative agents to prevent thromboembolic sequelae of thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation is controversial: national organizations provide conflicting recommendations in their practice guidelines. Herein, we review the medical literature and examine the evidence behind the recommendations in order to determine the best approach to thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients who have atrial fibrillation that is associated with hyperthyroidism. PMID:21720457

  20. Personalized management of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirchhof, Paulus; Breithardt, Günter; Aliot, Etienne

    2013-01-01

    The management of atrial fibrillation (AF) has seen marked changes in past years, with the introduction of new oral anticoagulants, new antiarrhythmic drugs, and the emergence of catheter ablation as a common intervention for rhythm control. Furthermore, new technologies enhance our ability......, and hospitalizations. During the fourth Atrial Fibrillation competence NETwork/European Heart Rhythm Association (AFNET/EHRA) consensus conference, we identified the following opportunities to personalize management of AF in a better manner with a view to improve outcomes by integrating atrial morphology and damage...

  1. Atrial fibrillation

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ABEOLUGBENGAS

    Mean blood pressures were 126.03± ... optimal. Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, thrombosis, CHADS2 Score, stroke risk, hypertensive heart disease, ... general population and the average age group ... Appendix 1) to stratify the stroke risk and we.

  2. Risk Factors for Atrial Fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    B.P. Krijthe (Bouwe)

    2013-01-01

    textabstractAtrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia that is characterized by rapid disorganized atrial electrical activity resulting in absence of atrial contractions. It is diagnosed on the basis of typical findings on an electrocardiogram (ECG). The characteristic ECG findings are

  3. Effect of atrial preference pacing on reducing long-term burden of atrial fibrillation:a clinical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Jianfeng; Chen Yueguang; Su Yangang; Zhang Dadong

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the clinical effect of atrial preference pacing (APP) on the prevention of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Methods: Based on the type of implanted pacemaker, 46 patients with sick sinus syndrome and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were divided into two groups. Dual-chamber pacemaker equipped with APP function was implanted in patients of group APP (n=21), while conventional dual-chamber pacemaker was implanted in patients of control group (n=25). The patients were followed up for six months, the maximum P wave duration (Pmax), the P wave dispersion (Pd), the structure of heart chambers, the data of automatic mode switch (AMS) and the total burden of atrial fibrillation were estimated,and the results were statistically analyzed and compared between two groups. Results: The basic clinical characteristics of two groups were comparable. After six months pacing, the difference in Pmax between two groups was of no significance (115.0 ± 10.1 ms vs 122.0 ± 11.0 ms, P > 0.05), while the increase of Pd in control group was more obvious than that in group APP (32.7 ± 4.2 ms vs 20.1 ± 5.3 ms, P 0.05), and also no remarkable difference in the left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) could be found (P > 0.05). Moreover, no significant difference existed between two groups (P > 0.05). After six months pacing,in group APP the frequencies of AMS decreased more sharply (145 ± 37 times vs 327 ± 13 times, P < 0.05), the duration of AMS shortened more apparently (73 ± 15 hours vs 139 ± 28 hours, P < 0.05) and the total burden of atrial fibrillation was alleviated more obviously (13 ± 5% vs 28 ± 6%, P < 0.05) when compared to those in control group. Conclusion: Atrial preference pacing can coordinate the anisotropy of double atrial depolarization, reduce the frequencies of long-term paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, shorten the duration of atrial fibrillation

  4. Cryoballoon Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason G. Andrade, MD

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Focal point-by-point radiofrequency catheter ablation has shown considerable success in the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. However, it is not without limitations. Recent clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated that cryothermal ablation using a balloon catheter (Artic Front©, Medtronic CryoCath LP provides an effective alternative strategy to treating atrial fibrillation. The objective of this article is to review efficacy and safety data surrounding cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation. In addition, a practical step-by-step approach to cryoballoon ablation is presented, while highlighting relevant literature regarding: 1 the rationale for adjunctive imaging, 2 selection of an appropriate cryoballoon size, 3 predictors of efficacy, 4 advanced trouble-shooting techniques, and 5 strategies to reduce procedural complications, such as phrenic nerve palsy.

  5. Prednisone prevents atrial fibrillation promotion by atrial tachycardia remodeling in dogs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shiroshita-Takeshita, A; Brundel, BJJM; Lavoie, J; Nattel, S

    2006-01-01

    Background: There is evidence suggesting involvement of oxidative stress, inflammation, and calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cell pathways in atrial fibrillation. This study evaluated the efficacy of anti-inflammatory and calcineurin-inhibitory drugs on promotion of atrial fibrillation by

  6. Atorvastatin can ameliorate left atrial stunning induced by radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Ruiqin; Yang, Yingtao; Cui, Wei; Yin, Hongning; Zheng, Hongmei; Zhang, Jidong; You, Ling

    2017-09-01

    The objective of this study was to study the functional changes of the left atrium after radiofrequency ablation treatment for atrial fibrillation and the therapeutic effect of atorvastatin. Fifty-eight patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation were randomly divided into non-atorvastatin group and atorvastatin group. Patients in the atorvastatin group were treated with atorvastatin 20 mg p.o. per night in addition to the conventional treatment of atrial fibrillation; patients in the non-atorvastatin group received conventional treatment of atrial fibrillation only. Echocardiography was performed before radiofrequency ablation operation and 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and 4 weeks after operation. Two-dimensional ultrasound speckle tracking imaging system was used to measure the structural indexes of the left atrium. Results indicated that there was no significant change for indexes representing the structural status of the left atrium within a month after radiofrequency ablation (P > 0.05); however, there were significant changes for indexes representing the functional status of the left atrium. There were also significant changes in indexes reflecting left atrial strain status: the S and SRs of atorvastatin group were higher than those of non-atorvastatin group (P atorvastatin could improve left atrial function and shorten the duration of atrial stunning after radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation.

  7. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for adults with atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Risom, Signe Stelling; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe; Johansen, Pernille Palm

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation may benefit adults with atrial fibrillation or those who had been treated for atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is caused by multiple micro re-entry circuits within the atrial tissue, which result in chaotic rapid activity in the atria....... OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of exercise-based rehabilitation programmes, alone or with another intervention, compared with no-exercise training controls in adults who currently have AF, or have been treated for AF. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following electronic databases; CENTRAL...... the benefits and harms of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for adults with atrial fibrillation on patient-relevant outcomes....

  8. Atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Morten S; Nielsen, Morten W; Haunsø, Stig

    2014-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia affecting 1-2% of the general population. A number of studies have demonstrated that AF, and in particular lone AF, has a substantial genetic component. Monogenic mutations in lone and familial AF, although rare, have been recognized...

  9. Dronedarone in high-risk permanent atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Connolly, Stuart J; Camm, A John; Halperin, Jonathan L

    2011-01-01

    Dronedarone restores sinus rhythm and reduces hospitalization or death in intermittent atrial fibrillation. It also lowers heart rate and blood pressure and has antiadrenergic and potential ventricular antiarrhythmic effects. We hypothesized that dronedarone would reduce major vascular events...... in high-risk permanent atrial fibrillation....

  10. Newer Anticoagulants for Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph M. Harburger

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Non-valvular atrial fibrillation is a recognized risk factor for stroke and systemic embolism. It has been clearly established that warfarin reduces the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in persons with atrial fibrillation and additional risk factors for stroke. The use of warfarin, however, requires frequent monitoring, and there is great variability in patient response to warfarin. Warfarin interacts with several medications and foods. In addition, warfarin use portends a significant risk of bleeding. For these reasons, warfarin is frequently not prescribed to persons for whom the drug would provide a clear benefit. Over the past decade, attempts have been made to develop drugs that are at least as safe and effective as warfarin for the treatment of atrial fibrillation that do not require monitoring nor have as many interactions. Initial studies of compounds in this regard ultimately failed due to safety concerns, but over the past two years two novel agents have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Association for anticoagulation in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, another drug is under review, and additional compounds are being studied. This article will review the use of warfarin and these new agents in the treatment of non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

  11. Treatment Guidelines of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib or AF)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Artery Disease Venous Thromboembolism Aortic Aneurysm More Treatment Guidelines of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib or AF) Updated:Jun 28,2017 What are the treatment guidelines for atrial fibrillation? Medical guidelines are written by ...

  12. Analysis of brain natriuretic peptide in 30 patients with atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin Qiang; Lu Jianghui; Li Weipeng; Yuan Yuan; Sun Weili

    2009-01-01

    To investigate the relationship between atrial fibrillation and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), plasma levels of BNP in 30 patients with atrial fibrillation and 30 health controls were assayed and compared. The results showed that plasma levels of BNP in patients with atrial fibrillation were significantly higher than those of health controls (P<0.05). When the patients with atrial fibrillation were restored sinus rhythm, the concentration of BNP decreased significantly (P<0.05). BNP was a sensitive marker of cardiac dysfunction, and BNP was positively correlated with atrial fibrillation. (authors)

  13. Meta-analysis identifies six new susceptibility loci for atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ellinor, Patrick T; Lunetta, Kathryn L; Albert, Christine M; Glazer, Nicole L; Ritchie, Marylyn D; Smith, Albert V; Arking, Dan E; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Krijthe, Bouwe P; Lubitz, Steven A; Bis, Joshua C; Chung, Mina K; Dörr, Marcus; Ozaki, Kouichi; Roberts, Jason D; Smith, J Gustav; Pfeufer, Arne; Sinner, Moritz F; Lohman, Kurt; Ding, Jingzhong; Smith, Nicholas L; Smith, Jonathan D; Rienstra, Michiel; Rice, Kenneth M; Van Wagoner, David R; Magnani, Jared W; Wakili, Reza; Clauss, Sebastian; Rotter, Jerome I; Steinbeck, Gerhard; Launer, Lenore J; Davies, Robert W; Borkovich, Matthew; Harris, Tamara B; Lin, Honghuang; Völker, Uwe; Völzke, Henry; Milan, David J; Hofman, Albert; Boerwinkle, Eric; Chen, Lin Y; Soliman, Elsayed Z; Voight, Benjamin F; Li, Guo; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Kubo, Michiaki; Tedrow, Usha B; Rose, Lynda M; Ridker, Paul M; Conen, David; Tsunoda, Tatsuhiko; Furukawa, Tetsushi; Sotoodehnia, Nona; Xu, Siyan; Kamatani, Naoyuki; Levy, Daniel; Nakamura, Yusuke; Parvez, Babar; Mahida, Saagar; Furie, Karen L; Rosand, Jonathan; Muhammad, Raafia; Psaty, Bruce M; Meitinger, Thomas; Perz, Siegfried; Wichmann, H-Erich; Witteman, Jacqueline C M; Kao, W H Linda; Kathiresan, Sekar; Roden, Dan M; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Rivadeneira, Fernando; McKnight, Barbara; Sjögren, Marketa; Newman, Anne B; Liu, Yongmei; Gollob, Michael H; Melander, Olle; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Stricker, Bruno H Ch; Felix, Stephan B; Alonso, Alvaro; Darbar, Dawood; Barnard, John; Chasman, Daniel I; Heckbert, Susan R; Benjamin, Emelia J; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Kääb, Stefan

    Atrial fibrillation is a highly prevalent arrhythmia and a major risk factor for stroke, heart failure and death. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in individuals of European ancestry, including 6,707 with and 52,426 without atrial fibrillation. Six new atrial fibrillation

  14. [Atrial fibrillation as consequence and cause of structural changes of atria].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aparina, O P; Chikhireva, L N; Stukalova, O V; Mironova, N A; Kashtanova, S Iu; Ternovoĭ, S K; Golitsyn, S P

    2014-01-01

    Changes of atrial structure and function are the contributors of atrial fibrillation clinical course, complications and treatment effectiveness. Effects of inflammation and mechanical stretch on atrial structural remodeling leading to atrial fibrillation are reviewed in the article. Contemporary invasive and non-invasive methods of evaluation (including late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging) of patients with atrial structural remodeling in atrial fibrillation are also described.

  15. Risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke in rheumatoid arthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindhardsen, Jesper; Ahlehoff, Ole; Gislason, Gunnar Hilmar

    2012-01-01

    To determine if patients with rheumatoid arthritis have increased risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke.......To determine if patients with rheumatoid arthritis have increased risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke....

  16. Structural and functional characteristics of myocard in patients with different forms of atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. I. Vasilyeva

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To study structural and functional characteristics of myocard in patients with different forms of atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent arrhythmia in clinical practice. Atrial fibrillation is a progressive disease: the duration of paroxysms increases over time and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation transforms to persistent, the last one becomes refractory to pharmacological and electrical cardioversion in time and transforms to permanent. So assessment of myocardial remodeling in patients with persistent and permanent atrial fibrillation is very actual. Methods and results. According to the aim of the study 133 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and 100 patients with permanent atrial fibrillation were included into the study. Echocardiographic parameters of left and right atria function were studied. Conclusion. It was found that patients with persistent and permanent atrial fibrillation are characterized with both left and right atrias remodeling. Remodeling of the atrias is less pronounced in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation in comparison with persistent atrial fibrillation patients and arrhythmia recurrence.

  17. Posibilities of cardiac pacemaker use in paroxsysmal atrial fibrilation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borut Kamenik

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Prevention of atrial fibrillation is a big therapeutic challenge because of all known negative consequences of this the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia. Numerous of clinical studies showed bad control or ineffectiveness of antiarhythmic drugs. Nonfarmakological therapies like surgical treatment, radiofrequency ablation and atrial pacing are being tested. Effectiveness of atrial pacing in prevention of paroxysmal artial fibrillation has been documented in numerous prospective studies and is effective for a long time interval, but only for patients with bradicardic underlying cardiac rhythm. In Normocardic rhythm or normal AV conduction the effective Atrial fibrillation prevention was not proven. The mechanism of action is based on premature atrial complex suppression, reduction of dispersion of refractoriness after short-long cycles and reduction of interatrial conduction delay. The atrial stimulation site or multi-site atrial pacing could be effective in AF prevention when interatrial conduction delay is present; otherwise the difference is not significant.Conclusions: In bradicardic patient who has frequent paroxysms of atrial fibrillation, regardless if bradycardia is due to ineffective antiarrhythmic drug treathement, implantation of DDDR pacemaker with atrial prevention algorhythm is indicated. If the P-wave duration is >120 milliseconds multi-site atrial pacing or septal atrial pacing should be considered. Pacemaker diagnostic tools could be used for adequate start of anticoagulant therapy and control of effectiveness of anthyarhythmic drug therapy.

  18. The atrial fibrillation ablation pilot study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arbelo, Elena; Brugada, Josep; Hindricks, Gerhard

    2014-01-01

    AIMS: The Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Pilot Study is a prospective registry designed to describe the clinical epidemiology of patients undergoing an atrial fibrillation (AFib) ablation, and the diagnostic/therapeutic processes applied across Europe. The aims of the 1-year follow-up were to analyse...... was achieved in 40.7% of patients (43.7% in paroxysmal AF; 30.2% in persistent AF; 36.7% in long-lasting persistent AF). A second ablation was required in 18% of the cases and 43.4% were under antiarrhythmic treatment. Thirty-three patients (2.5%) suffered an adverse event, 272 (21%) experienced a left atrial...... tachycardia, and 4 patients died (1 haemorrhagic stroke, 1 ventricular fibrillation in a patient with ischaemic heart disease, 1 cancer, and 1 of unknown cause). CONCLUSION: The AFib Ablation Pilot Study provided crucial information on the epidemiology, management, and outcomes of catheter ablation of AFib...

  19. Heart failure and atrial fibrillation: current concepts and controversies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van den Berg, M. P.; Tuinenburg, A. E.; Crijns, H. J.; Van Gelder, I. C.; Gosselink, A. T.; Lie, K. I.

    1997-01-01

    Heart failure and atrial fibrillation are very common, particularly in the elderly. Owing to common risk factors both disorders are often present in the same patient. In addition, there is increasing evidence of a complex, reciprocal relation between heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Thus heart failure may cause atrial fibrillation, with electromechanical feedback and neurohumoral activation playing an important mediating role. In addition, atrial fibrillation may promote heart failure; in particular, when there is an uncontrolled ventricular rate, tachycardiomyopathy may develop and thereby heart failure. Eventually, a vicious circle between heart failure and atrial fibrillation may form, in which neurohumoral activation and subtle derangement of rate control are involved. Treatment should aim at unloading of the heart, adequate control of ventricular rate, and correction of neurohumoral activation. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors may help to achieve these goals. Treatment should also include an attempt to restore sinus rhythm through electrical cardioversion, though appropriate timing of cardioversion is difficult. His bundle ablation may be used to achieve adequate rate control in drug refractory cases. PMID:9155607

  20. 77 FR 11121 - Scientific Information Request on Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-24

    ... Information Request on Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality... Review of the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation, which is currently being conducted by the Evidence-based... the treatment of atrial fibrillation. The EHC Program is dedicated to identifying as many studies as...

  1. Management of atrial fibrillation in the setting of heart failure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Crijns, HJGM; VandenBerg, MP; VanGelder, IC; VanVeldhuisen, DJ

    Heart failure is often complicated by atrial fibrillation. Once atrial fibrillation has started it further enhances heart failure due to uncontrolled rate with shortened filling time and provocation of tachycardiomyopathy. Absent atrial kick and irregularity of the ventricular rhythm also

  2. Increasing Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation and Permanent Atrial Arrhythmias in Congenital Heart Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labombarda, Fabien; Hamilton, Robert; Shohoudi, Azadeh; Aboulhosn, Jamil; Broberg, Craig S; Chaix, Marie A; Cohen, Scott; Cook, Stephen; Dore, Annie; Fernandes, Susan M; Fournier, Anne; Kay, Joseph; Macle, Laurent; Mondésert, Blandine; Mongeon, François-Pierre; Opotowsky, Alexander R; Proietti, Anna; Rivard, Lena; Ting, Jennifer; Thibault, Bernard; Zaidi, Ali; Khairy, Paul

    2017-08-15

    Atrial arrhythmias are the most common complication encountered in the growing and aging population with congenital heart disease. This study sought to assess the types and patterns of atrial arrhythmias, associated factors, and age-related trends. A multicenter cohort study enrolled 482 patients with congenital heart disease and atrial arrhythmias, age 32.0 ± 18.0 years, 45.2% female, from 12 North American centers. Qualifying arrhythmias were classified by a blinded adjudicating committee. The most common presenting arrhythmia was intra-atrial re-entrant tachycardia (IART) (61.6%), followed by atrial fibrillation (28.8%), and focal atrial tachycardia (9.5%). The proportion of arrhythmias due to IART increased with congenital heart disease complexity from 47.2% to 62.1% to 67.0% in patients with simple, moderate, and complex defects, respectively (p = 0.0013). Atrial fibrillation increased with age to surpass IART as the most common arrhythmia in those ≥50 years of age (51.2% vs. 44.2%; p congenital heart disease, with a predominantly paroxysmal pattern. However, atrial fibrillation increases in prevalence and atrial arrhythmias progressively become permanent as the population ages. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. [Quantitative Measurements on the Blood Flow Fields of Left Atrial Appendage using Vector Flow Mapping in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Yu-Yan; Wei, Xin; Zhang, Xiao-Ling; Liu, Gu-Yue; Li, Xi; Tang, Hong

    2018-01-01

    To quantify the hemodynamic characteristics of patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Twenty patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 15 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation enrolled in this study,while 12 patients with sinus rhythms served as controls. The hemodynamic characteristics of the patients in left atrial appendage were measured by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and vector flow mapping (VFM) using indicators such as vectors,vortex and energy loss (EL). ① Significant differences appeared between the patients with atrial fibrillation and the controls in heart rate,size of left atrium,size of left atrial appendage (LAA),and velocities of LAA filling and emptying. ② Regular vectors in LAA in early systole and late diastole were found in the patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and the controls; whereas,irregular vectors with direction alternating were visualized in the whole cardiac cycle in the patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. ③ Small vortexes were observed at the opening of the left atrial appendage in late diastole in the patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and the controls. ④ Peak EL values occurred in early systole and late diastole in the patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and the controls. But the patients with persistent atrial fibrillation had increased EL values over the whole cardiac cycle. VFM can visualize and quantify the hemodynamics of LAA in patients with different heart rhythms. It may provide a new method for assessing atrial fibrillation. CopyrightCopyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).

  4. Pulmonary vein dimensions and variation of branching pattern in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using magnetic resonance angiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takase, Bonpei; Nagata, Masayoshi; Matsui, Takemi

    2004-01-01

    Pulmonary veins are the most frequent origin of focal and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Although radiofrequency ablation has been attempted for the treatment of focal and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, the anatomy of the pulmonary vein is still not fully understood. To investigate the dimensions and anatomical variation of the pulmonary vein in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, we performed breath-hold gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography using a 1.5 T cardiac MR imager (GE CV/i) in 32 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (61±8 years old), 11 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (64±9 years old), and 26 patients with normal sinus rhythm (55±15 years old). Three-dimensional images of the pulmonary veins were thus obtained, and the diameters of the most proximal portion of the left or right superior pulmonary vein and left or right inferior pulmonary vein were measured. Pulmonary vein branching variations were determined by a visual qualitative analysis by two separate readers' agreements, who were blinded to any clinical information. We focused on the existence of a complex-branching pattern draining into the orifice of four pulmonary veins. Patients with either paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or chronic atrial fibrillation showed larger superior pulmonary veins than those with normal sinus rhythm (mean±SD; in the left superior pulmonary vein, 20±3 mm 23±3 mm vs 16±3 mm, P<0.05; in right superior pulmonary vein, 19±4 mm, 19±2 mm vs 16±2 mm, P<0.05). Complex-branching pattern was frequently observed in inferior pulmonary veins in patients with either paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or chronic atrial fibrillation; 25/32 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, 11/11 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, compared to 7/26 patients with normal sinus rhythm. Complex-branching patterns were not observed in superior pulmonary veins in any patients in this cohort. In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

  5. Antihypertensive treatment and risk of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marott, Sarah C W; Nielsen, Sune F; Benn, Marianne

    2014-01-01

    AIMS: To examine the associations between antihypertensive treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers, diuretics, or calcium-antagonists, and risk of atrial fibrillation. We examined these associations using the entire Danish...... population from 1995 through 2010. METHODS AND RESULTS: Excluding medication used in atrial fibrillation, we matched individuals on ACEi monotherapy 1:1 with individuals on β-blocker (n = 48 658), diuretic (n = 69 630), calcium-antagonist (n = 57 646), and ARB monotherapy (n = 20 158). Likewise, individuals...... on ARB monotherapy were matched 1:1 with individuals on β-blocker (n = 20 566), diuretic (n = 20 832), calcium-antagonist (n = 20 232), and ACEi monotherapy (n = 20 158). All were free of atrial fibrillation and of predisposing diseases like heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus...

  6. Genetics of Atrial Fibrillation and Possible Implications for Ischemic Stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robin Lemmens

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia mainly caused by valvular, ischemic, hypertensive, and myopathic heart disease. Atrial fibrillation can occur in families suggesting a genetic background especially in younger subjects. Additionally recent studies have identified common genetic variants to be associated with atrial fibrillation in the general population. This cardiac arrhythmia has important public health implications because of its main complications: congestive heart failure and ischemic stroke. Since atrial fibrillation can result in ischemic stroke, one might assume that genetic determinants of this cardiac arrhythmia are also implicated in cerebrovascular disease. Ischemic stroke is a multifactorial, complex disease where multiple environmental and genetic factors interact. Whether genetic variants associated with a risk factor for ischemic stroke also increase the risk of a particular vascular endpoint still needs to be confirmed in many cases. Here we review the current knowledge on the genetic background of atrial fibrillation and the consequences for cerebrovascular disease.

  7. Cost of illness of atrial fibrillation: a nationwide study of societal impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnsen, Søren Paaske; Dalby, Lene Worsaae; Täckström, Tomas; Olsen, Jens; Fraschke, Anina

    2017-11-10

    The prevalence of atrial fibrillation is increasing rapidly; however, to date, population-based data are lacking on the attributable cost of illness of atrial fibrillation from a societal perspective, including both direct and indirect costs. The study was an incidence-based cost-of-illness study based on national registries covering the entire population of Denmark. We identified all patients with a first-time hospital diagnosis of atrial fibrillation between 2001 and 2012. For every atrial fibrillation patient, we identified three age- and sex-matched controls from the general population. Both the total and the attributable costs of atrial fibrillation were estimated based on individual level information on hospital care (in- and out-patient contacts), primary sector care, use of prescription drugs and productivity loss. Average 3-year societal costs per patient attributable to atrial fibrillation were estimated to be €20,403-26,544 during the study period. The costs were highest during the first year after diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Admission costs constituted the largest cost component, whereas primary sector costs and medicine costs only constituted minor components. The attributable costs were more than two-fold higher among patients experiencing a stroke. The total 3-year cost attributable to atrial fibrillation in Denmark was estimated to be €219-295 million. The societal costs attributable to atrial fibrillation are significant. Reducing the need for hospitalizations, in particular from stroke, is a key factor in controlling the costs.

  8. What Is Atrial Fibrillation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ANSWERS by heart Cardiovascular Conditions What Is Atrial Fibrillation? Your heart has a natural pacemaker, called the “sinus node,” that makes electrical signals. These signals cause the heart to contract and pump ...

  9. Atrial Fibrillation: When the heart is not in rhythm | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... of this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Atrial Fibrillation Atrial Fibrillation: When the heart is not in rhythm Past ... show, Deal With It . Photo: TBS/Deal Understanding Atrial Fibrillation Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type ...

  10. Atrial Na,K-ATPase increase and potassium dysregulation accentuate the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tran, Cao Thach; Schmidt, Thomas Andersen; Christensen, John Brochorst

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Postoperative atrial fibrillation is a common complication to cardiac surgery. Na,K-ATPase is of major importance for the resting membrane potential and action potential. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the importance of Na,K-ATPase concentrations in human atrial...... biopsies and plasma potassium concentrations for the development of atrial fibrillation. METHODS: Atrial myocardial biopsies were obtained from 67 patients undergoing open chest cardiac surgery. Na,K-ATPase was quantified using vanadate-facilitated 3H-ouabain binding. Plasma potassium concentration....../g wet weight (n = 33), p = 0.03]. Also with multivariable analysis, 3H-ouabain-binding site concentration was significantly associated with the development of atrial fibrillation. High increase in plasma potassium concentration during the perioperative period and surgery was associated...

  11. The safety of flecainide treatment of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Almroth, H; Andersson, Torben Bech; Fengsrud, E

    2011-01-01

    To assess the safety of long-term treatment with flecainide in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), particularly with regard to sudden cardiac death (SCD) and proarrhythmic events.......To assess the safety of long-term treatment with flecainide in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), particularly with regard to sudden cardiac death (SCD) and proarrhythmic events....

  12. Surgical Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation Using Energy Sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brick, Alexandre Visconti; Braile, Domingo Marcolino

    2015-01-01

    Surgical ablation, concomitant with other operations, is an option for treatment in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. The aim of this study is to present a literature review on surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, considering energy sources and return to sinus rhythm. A comprehensive survey was performed in the literature on surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation considering energy sources, sample size, study type, outcome (early and late), and return to sinus rhythm. Analyzing studies with immediate results (n=5), the percentage of return to sinus rhythm ranged from 73% to 96%, while those with long-term results (n=20) (from 12 months on) ranged from 62% to 97.7%. In both of them, there was subsequent clinical improvement of patients who underwent ablation, regardless of the energy source used. Surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation is essential for the treatment of this arrhythmia. With current technology, it may be minimally invasive, making it mandatory to perform a procedure in an attempt to revert to sinus rhythm in patients requiring heart surgery.

  13. Observation of the efficacy of radiofrequency catheter ablation on patients with different forms of atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, R-C; Han, W; Han, J; Yu, J; Guo, J; Fu, J-L; Li, Z; Zhao, R-Z

    2016-10-01

    To study the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in patients with different forms of atrial fibrillation. By retrospective analysis, we summarize 720 cases, where patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in our hospital were treated with RFCA from February 2010 to October 2014. Among the cases, 425 were diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 295 with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (including persistent atrial fibrillation and permanent atrial fibrillation). All patients were followed up until June 2015 to compare and analyze the differences in operation success rates, complications and recurrence rates. 395 cases (92.9%) of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 253 cases (85.8%) with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were subject to surgery and followed up. The age of onset, disease course, underlying diseases, left atrial diameter and combined anti-arrhythmics of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were lower than those of patients with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and the differences were statistically significant (p success rate of the first ablation was higher than that of non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Procedure time, procedure method, complications and recurrence rate of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were lower than those of non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group, and the differences were statistically significant (p failure caused by atrial fibrillation in the two groups, the difference was not statistically significant (Apoplexy: p = 0.186; Heart failure: p = 0.170). The individual ablation success rate was higher for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and long-term follow-up showed that the occurrence of apoplexy and heart failure was not different from the non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group.

  14. Alcohol consumption and risk of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tolstrup, Janne Schurmann; Wium-Andersen, Marie Kim; Ørsted, David Dynnes

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that alcohol consumption, both observational (self-reported) and estimated by genetic instruments, is associated with a risk of atrial fibrillation and to determine whether people with high cardiovascular risk are more sensitive towards...... alcohol than people with low risk. METHODS: We used data for a total of 88,782 men and women from the Copenhagen City Heart Study 1991-1994 and 2001-2003 and the Copenhagen General Population Study 2003-2010. Information on incident cases of atrial fibrillation was obtained from a validated nationwide...... register. As a measure of alcohol exposure, both self-reported consumption and genetic variations in alcohol metabolizing genes (ADH1B/ADH1C) were used as instrumental variables. The endpoint was admission to hospital for atrial fibrillation as recorded in a validated hospital register. RESULTS: A total...

  15. Women Sex Importance in Stroke Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cemile Handan Mısırlı

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: It was shown the differences in age, risk factors and treatment between women and men in stroke patients with atrial fibrillation METHODS: The stroke patients with atrial fibrillation who were hospitalized in our department at the last 2 years were seperated into 2 groups of aged above 75 and below 75, investigated with CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASc scores and looked at the sex differences of women and men. RESULTS: Stroke ratio according to sex was statistically meaningful especially in women above the age of 75. Risc factors also were founded in elderly women and CHA2DS2VASc scores were higher in women than men so more anticoagulan treatment were begun. No differences were shown between sexes at lone atrial fibrillation and no treatment were begun. CONCLUSION: Women with atrial fibrillation had more risk factors, higher stroke rate and higher anticoagulation treatment.

  16. Atrial Fibrillation and Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease - Controversies and Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floria, Mariana; Barboi, Oana; Rezus, Ciprian; Ambarus, Valentin; Cijevschi-Prelipcean, Cristina; Balan, Gheorghe; Drug, Vasile Liviu

    2015-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation and gastro-oesophageal reflux are common manifestations in daily practice. The atria and the oesophagus are closely located and have similar nerve innervations. Over the last years, it has been observed that atrial fibrillation development and reflux disease could be related. Atrial fibrillation occurrence could be due to vagal nerve overstimulation. This, in association with vagal nerve-mediated parasympathetic stimulation, has also been observed in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux. These mechanisms, in addition to inflammation, seem to be implicated in the pathophysiology of both diseases. Despite these associations supported by clinical and experimental studies, this relationship is still considered controversial. This review summarizes critical data regarding the association of gastro-oesophageal reflux and atrial fibrillation as well as their clinical implications.

  17. Ebstein's anomaly as a cause of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damjanović Miodrag R.

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Ebstein's anomaly is characterized by a displacement of the tricuspid valve toward apex, because of anomalous attachment of the tricuspid leaflets. There are type B of Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW syndrome and paroxysmal arrhythmias in more than a half of all patients. Case report. We presented a female, 32-year old, with frequent paroxysms of atrial fibrillation. After conversion of rhythm an ECG showed WPW syndrome. Echocardiographic examination discovered normal size of the left cardiac chambers with paradoxical ventricular septal motion. The right ventricle was very small because of its atrialization. The origin of the tricuspid valve was 20 mm closer to apex of the right ventricle than the origin of the mitral valve. Electrophysiological examination showed a posterolateral right accesorial pathway. Atrial fibrillation was induced very easily in electrophysiological laboratory and a successful ablation of accessorial pathway was made. There were no WPW syndrome and paroxysms of atrial fibrillation after that. Conclusion. Ebstein's anomaly is one of the reasons of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, especially in young persons with WPW syndrome.

  18. Risk of atrial fibrillation in diabetes mellitus: A nationwide cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pallisgaard, Jannik L; Schjerning, Anne-Marie; Lindhardt, Tommi B; Procida, Kristina; Hansen, Morten L; Torp-Pedersen, Christian; Gislason, Gunnar H

    2016-04-01

    Diabetes has been associated with atrial fibrillation but the current evidence is conflicting. In particular knowledge regarding young diabetes patients and the risk of developing atrial fibrillation is sparse. The aim of our study was to investigate the risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with diabetes compared to the background population in Denmark. Through Danish nationwide registries we included persons above 18 years of age and without prior atrial fibrillation and/or diabetes from 1996 to 2012. The study cohort was divided into a background population without diabetes and a diabetes group. The absolute risk of developing atrial fibrillation was calculated and Poisson regression models adjusted for sex, age and comorbidities were used to calculate incidence rate ratios of atrial fibrillation. The total study cohort included 5,081,087 persons, 4,827,713 (95%) in the background population and 253,374 (5%) in the diabetes group. Incidence rates of atrial fibrillation per 1000 person years were stratified in four age groups from 18 to 39, 40 to 64, 65 to 74 and 75 to 100 years giving incidence rates (95% confidence intervals) of 0.02 (0.02-0.02), 0.99 (0.98-1.01), 8.89 (8.81-8.98) and 20.0 (19.9-20.2) in the background population and 0.13 (0.09-0.20), 2.10 (2.00-2.20), 8.41 (8.10-8.74) and 20.1 (19.4-20.8) in the diabetes group, respectively. The adjusted incidence rate ratios in the diabetes group with the background population as reference were 2.34 (1.52-3.60), 1.52 (1.47-1.56), 1.20 (1.18-1.23) and 0.99 (0.97-1.01) in the four age groups, respectively. Diabetes is an independent risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation/flutter, most pronounced in young diabetes patients. Routine screening for atrial fibrillation/flutter in diabetes patients might be beneficial and have therapeutic implications, especially in younger diabetes patients. Diabetes increases the risk of developing atrial fibrillation and especially young diabetes patients have a high

  19. Decision-making interventions to stop the global atrial fibrillation-related stroke tsunami.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerasuolo, Joshua O; Montero-Odasso, Manuel; Ibañez, Agustin; Doocy, Shannon; Lip, Gregory Yh; Sposato, Luciano A

    2017-04-01

    Atrial fibrillation affects 33.5 million people worldwide and its prevalence is expected to double by 2050 because of the aging population. Atrial fibrillation confers a 5-fold higher risk of ischemic stroke compared to sinus rhythm. We present our view of the role of shared medical decision-making to combat global underutilization of oral anticoagulation for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation patients. Oral anticoagulation underuse is widespread as it is present within atrial fibrillation patients of all risk strata and in countries across all income levels. Reasons for oral anticoagulation underuse include but are probably not limited to poor risk stratification, over-interpretation of contraindications, and discordance between physician prescription preferences and actual administration. By comparing a catastrophic event to the consequences of atrial fibrillation related strokes, it may help physicians and patients understand the negative outcomes associated with oral anticoagulation under-utilization and the magnitude to which oral anticoagulations neutralize atrial fibrillation burden.

  20. New risk factors for atrial fibrillation : causes of 'not-so-lone atrial fibrillation'

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schoonderwoerd, Bas A.; Smit, Marcelle D.; Pen, Lucas; Van Gelder, Isabelle C.

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent arrhythmia in patients with cardiovascular disease. The classical risk factors for developing AF include hypertension, valvular disease, (ischaemic) cardiomyopathy, diabetes mellitus, and thyroid disease. In some patients with AF, no underlying

  1. Abnormal atrial activation in young patients with lone atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holmqvist, Fredrik; Olesen, Morten S; Tveit, Arnljot

    2011-01-01

    Patients with a history of atrial fibrillation (AF) have previously been shown to have altered atrial conduction, as seen non-invasively using signal-averaged P-wave analysis. However, little is known about the P-wave morphology in patients in the early phases of AF with structurally normal hearts....

  2. Screening for Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Freedman, Ben; Camm, John; Calkins, Hugh

    2017-01-01

    Approximately 10% of ischemic strokes are associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) first diagnosed at the time of stroke. Detecting asymptomatic AF would provide an opportunity to prevent these strokes by instituting appropriate anticoagulation. The AF-SCREEN international collaboration was formed...

  3. Molecular Mechanisms and New Treatment Paradigm for Atrial Fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sirish, Padmini; Li, Ning; Timofeyev, Valeriy; Zhang, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Lianguo; Yang, Jun; Lee, Kin Sing Stephen; Bettaieb, Ahmed; Ma, Sin Mei; Lee, Jeong Han; Su, Demetria; Lau, Victor C; Myers, Richard E; Lieu, Deborah K; López, Javier E; Young, J Nilas; Yamoah, Ebenezer N; Haj, Fawaz; Ripplinger, Crystal M; Hammock, Bruce D; Chiamvimonvat, Nipavan

    2016-05-01

    Atrial fibrillation represents the most common arrhythmia leading to increased morbidity and mortality, yet, current treatment strategies have proven inadequate. Conventional treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs carries a high risk for proarrhythmias. The soluble epoxide hydrolase enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of anti-inflammatory epoxy fatty acids, including epoxyeicosatrienoic acids from arachidonic acid to the corresponding proinflammatory diols. Therefore, the goal of the study is to directly test the hypotheses that inhibition of the soluble epoxide hydrolase enzyme can result in an increase in the levels of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, leading to the attenuation of atrial structural and electric remodeling and the prevention of atrial fibrillation. For the first time, we report findings that inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase reduces inflammation, oxidative stress, atrial structural, and electric remodeling. Treatment with soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor significantly reduces the activation of key inflammatory signaling molecules, including the transcription factor nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and transforming growth factor-β. This study provides insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms leading to atrial fibrillation by inflammation and represents a paradigm shift from conventional antiarrhythmic drugs, which block downstream events to a novel upstream therapeutic target by counteracting the inflammatory processes in atrial fibrillation. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  4. Atrial fibrillation and risk of stroke

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Christine Benn; Gerds, Thomas A.; Olesen, Jonas Bjerring

    2016-01-01

    AIM: Although the relation between stroke risk factors and stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has been extensively examined, only few studies have explored the association of AF and the risk of ischaemic stroke/systemic thromboembolism/transient ischaemic attack (stroke.......5-10.6), and 15.4% (14.5-16.4), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke/TE/TIA risk was particularly increased when prior stroke/TE/TIA was present. Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increase in risk of stroke/TE/TIA in the absence of other risk factors but only a moderate increase in risk when other risk...

  5. Initiation of anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gundlund, A.; Staerk, L.; Fosbøl, E. L.

    2017-01-01

    Background: The use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for stroke prophylaxis in atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasing rapidly. We compared characteristics of AF patients initiated on NOACs versus vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Methods: Using Danish nationwide registry data, we...... compared with a VKA [odds ratio (OR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28–1.43]. By contrast, patients with a history of myocardial infarction were less likely to be initiated on a NOAC compared with a VKA (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.67–0.77). Conclusions: Atrial fibrillation patients who were initiated...

  6. Embolic risk in atrial fibrillation that arises from hyperthyroidism: review of the medical literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traube, Elie; Coplan, Neil L

    2011-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac complication of hyperthyroidism, occurs in an estimated 10% to 25% of overtly hyperthyroid patients. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation increases with age in the general population and in thyrotoxic patients. Other risk factors for atrial fibrillation in thyrotoxic patients include male sex, ischemic or valvular heart disease, and congestive heart failure. The incidence of arterial embolism or stroke in thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation is less clear. There are many reports of arterial thromboembolism associated with hyperthyroidism, including cases of young adults without coexisting risk factors other than thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation. The use of anticoagulative agents to prevent thromboembolic sequelae of thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation is controversial: National organizations provide conflicting recommendations in their practice guidelines. Herein, we review the medical literature and examine the evidence behind the recommendations in order to determine the best approach to thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients who have atrial fibrillation that is associated with hyperthyroidism.

  7. Does Myocardial Infarction Beget Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Fibrillation Beget Myocardial Infarction?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermond, Rob A.; Van Gelder, Isabelle C.; Crijns, Harry J.; Rienstra, Michiel

    2015-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects millions of people worldwide.(1) It is already known several decades that AF is not a benign condition, and it's associated with a 5-fold increased risk of stroke, 3-fold increased risk of heart failure, and doubling of risk of dementia and death.(2-4) Myocardial

  8. Atrial-selective K+ channel blockers: potential antiarrhythmic drugs in atrial fibrillation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravens, Ursula

    2017-11-01

    In the wake of demographic change in Western countries, atrial fibrillation has reached an epidemiological scale, yet current strategies for drug treatment of the arrhythmia lack sufficient efficacy and safety. In search of novel medications, atrial-selective drugs that specifically target atrial over other cardiac functions have been developed. Here, I will address drugs acting on potassium (K + ) channels that are either predominantly expressed in atria or possess electrophysiological properties distinct in atria from ventricles. These channels include the ultra-rapidly activating, delayed outward-rectifying Kv1.5 channel conducting I Kur , the acetylcholine-activated inward-rectifying Kir3.1/Kir3.4 channel conducting I K,ACh , the Ca 2+ -activated K + channels of small conductance (SK) conducting I SK , and the two-pore domain K + (K2P) channels (tandem of P domains, weak inward-rectifying K + channels (TWIK-1), TWIK-related acid-sensitive K + channels (TASK-1 and TASK-3)) that are responsible for voltage-independent background currents I TWIK-1 , I TASK-1 , and I TASK-3 . Direct drug effects on these channels are described and their putative value in treatment of atrial fibrillation is discussed. Although many potential drug targets have emerged in the process of unravelling details of the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for atrial fibrillation, we do not know whether novel antiarrhythmic drugs will be more successful when modulating many targets or a single specific one. The answer to this riddle can only be solved in a clinical context.

  9. Cryoballoon Catheter Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cevher Ozcan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Pulmonary vein isolation with catheter ablation is an effective treatment in patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation refractory or intolerant to antiarrhythmic medications. The cryoballoon catheter was recently approved for this procedure. In this paper, the basics of cryothermal energy ablation are reviewed including its ability of creating homogenous lesion formation, minimal destruction to surrounding vasculature, preserved tissue integrity, and lower risk of thrombus formation. Also summarized here are the publications describing the clinical experience with the cryoballoon catheter ablation in both paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation, its safety and efficacy, and discussions on the technical aspect of the cryoballoon ablation procedure.

  10. Atrial fibrillation and bleeding complication - risk factors and risk marker

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Breithardt, G.; Ravens, U.; Kirchhof, P.; van Gelder, I. C.

    2012-01-01

    The development of atrial fibrillation (AF) is closely linked to risk factors like hypertension and heart failure, diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction and valvular heart disease. These factors partly overlap with those which determine the progression of atrial fibrillation and the incidence of

  11. Modulation of atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geuzebroek, G.S.C.

    2013-01-01

    In this thesis we investigate the results of various surgical procedures for atrial fibrillation which have been performed in the last 2 decades in the Sint Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands. In the 1990s the classical Maze III procedure was the main surgical technique for

  12. Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kivimäki, Mika; Nyberg, Solja T.; Batty, G. David

    2017-01-01

    long hours (≤55 per week) and those working standard 35-40 h/week. Methods and results In this prospective multi-cohort study from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-Analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) Consortium, the study population was 85 494 working men and women (mean age 43.4 years...... of atrial fibrillation (10-year cumulative incidence 12.4 per 1000). After adjustment for age, sex and socioeconomic status, individuals working long hours had a 1.4-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with those working standard hours (hazard ratio = 1.42, 95% CI= 1.13-1.80, P= 0......Aims Studies suggest that people who work long hours are at increased risk of stroke, but the association of long working hours with atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a risk factor for stroke, is unknown. We examined the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals working...

  13. [Panic disorder and atrial fibrillation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olazabal Eizaguirre, N; Chavez, R; González-Torres, M A; Gaviria, M

    2013-10-01

    This paper studies the relationship between atrial fibrillation and panic disorder. There are often doubts on the differential diagnosis in emergency services and general medical settings. Panic disorder prevalence rates have been found to be high in patients suffering from atrial fibrillation. Various studies have observed that patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders frequently have higher cardiovascular disease rates compared to the general population. Usually, patients suffering from panic disorder exhibit somatic complaints suggesting coronary disease, such as chest pain or palpitations. The aim is to make the correct diagnosis and treatment for these different illnesses, and to decrease the costs due to misdiagnosis. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  14. Left Atrial Linear Ablation of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Guided by Three-dimensional Electroanatomical System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Dai-Fu; Li, Ying; Qi, Wei-Gang

    2005-01-01

    Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of Left atrial linear ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation guided by three-dimensional electroanatomical system. Methods 29 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in this study. A nonfluoroscopic mapping system was used to generate a 3D...... electroanatomic LA mapping, and all pulmonary vein ostia were marked under the help of pulmonary veins angiography on the 3D map. Radiofrequency (RF) energy was delivered to create continuous linear lesions encircling the pulmonary veins, it was delivered with a target temperature of 43¿, a maximal power limit...

  15. Patients with atrial fibrillation and permanent pacemaker

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dalgaard, Frederik; Ruwald, Martin H; Lindhardt, Tommi Bo

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The management of patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) with rate-lowering or anti-arrhythmic drugs has markedly changed over the last decade, but it is unknown how these changes have affected patients with NVAF with a permanent pacemaker (PPM). METHODS: Through Danish......,261. Thus, the proportional amount of NVAF patients with a PPM decreased from 1.3% to 1.1% (p = 0.015). Overall 45.9% had atrial fibrillation (AF) duration less than one year and the proportion declined from 55.5% to 42.4% (p

  16. Integrating new approaches to atrial fibrillation management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kotecha, Dipak; Breithardt, Günter; Camm, A John

    2018-01-01

    There are major challenges ahead for clinicians treating patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The population with AF is expected to expand considerably and yet, apart from anticoagulation, therapies used in AF have not been shown to consistently impact on mortality or reduce adverse...... of the Atrial Fibrillation Network (AFNET) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), held at the European Society of Cardiology Heart House in Sophia Antipolis, France, 17-19 January 2017. Sixty-two global specialists in AF and 13 industry partners met to develop innovative solutions based on new...

  17. Clinical Differences between Subtypes of Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter: Cross-Sectional Registry of 407 Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Dytz Almeida

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter account for one third of hospitalizations due to arrhythmias, determining great social and economic impacts. In Brazil, data on hospital care of these patients is scarce. Objective: To investigate the arrhythmia subtype of atrial fibrillation and flutter patients in the emergency setting and compare the clinical profile, thromboembolic risk and anticoagulants use. Methods: Cross-sectional retrospective study, with data collection from medical records of every patient treated for atrial fibrillation and flutter in the emergency department of Instituto de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul during the first trimester of 2012. Results: We included 407 patients (356 had atrial fibrillation and 51 had flutter. Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were in average 5 years younger than those with persistent atrial fibrillation. Compared to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients, those with persistent atrial fibrillation and flutter had larger atrial diameter (48.6 ± 7.2 vs. 47.2 ± 6.2 vs. 42.3 ± 6.4; p < 0.01 and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (66.8 ± 11 vs. 53.9 ± 17 vs. 57.4 ± 16; p < 0.01. The prevalence of stroke and heart failure was higher in persistent atrial fibrillation and flutter patients. Those with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and flutter had higher prevalence of CHADS2 score of zero when compared to those with persistent atrial fibrillation (27.8% vs. 18% vs. 4.9%; p < 0.01. The prevalence of anticoagulation in patients with CHA2DS2-Vasc ≤ 2 was 40%. Conclusions: The population in our registry was similar in its comorbidities and demographic profile to those of North American and European registries. Despite the high thromboembolic risk, the use of anticoagulants was low, revealing difficulties for incorporating guideline recommendations. Public health strategies should be adopted in order to improve these rates.

  18. [The contribution of inflammatory process in pathogenesis and natural history of atrial fibrillation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zyśko, Dorota; Gajek, Jacek; Mazurek, Walentyna

    2005-02-01

    The inflammatory process plays important role in pathogenesis of some cardiovascular diseases. Atrial fibrillation is atrial arrhythmia with rapid, asynchronous activation of atrial myocytes. The inflammatory process can be responsible for atrial electrical and anatomical remodeling and therefore shifts towards arrhythmia persistence. The presence of systemic inflammation may be assessed by means of C-reactive protein (CRP) measurement. Maximal concentration of CRP coincidences with the peak of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation occurrence in patients after cardiac surgery. In patients with sinus rhythm the concentration of CRP is a risk factor for this arrhythmia in long-term follow-up. In patients with atrial fibrillation mean CRP concentration is 2-fold higher comparing to control group. CRP concentration is higher in patients with chronic than paroxysmal form of this arrhythmia. High CRP level predicts worse results of direct current cardioversion and more frequent paroxysms of atrial fibrillation during follow-up. Besides of, the patients with echocardiographic signs of thromboembolic risk have higher CRP levels than control subjects. There is no data about the influence of anti-inflammatory therapy on atrial fibrillation or its recurrences.

  19. [Left atrial function and left atrial appendage flow velocity in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: comparison of patients with and without paroxysmal atrial fibrillation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akasaka, K; Kawashima, E; Shiokoshi, T; Ishii, Y; Hasebe, N; Kikuchi, K

    1998-07-01

    The involvement of left atrial (LA) appendage flow velocity in reduced left atrial function was investigated in 24 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, who retained sinus rhythm at the examination. Patients were divided into 11 with a history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation [PAf(+)] and 13 without such history [PAf(-)]. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to evaluate LA fractional shortening (LA%FS) and mean velocity of circumferential LA fiber shortening (LAmVcf), as contractile functions of the left atrium at the phase of active atrial contraction. Transesophageal echocardiographic Doppler examination was performed in all patients to measure the LA appendage velocity. In all patients, significant positive correlations were observed between the LA appendage velocity and LA%FS (r = 0.50, p fibrillation were significantly lower than in those without (0.84 +/- 0.15 vs 1.28 +/- 0.37 circ/sec, 44 +/- 12 vs 65 +/- 20 cm/sec, both p fibrillation. These results indicate that there is a close relationship between LA appendage velocity and LA contractile function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with paroxysmal atrial fibrilation, and these patients have potential risk of cerebral infarction.

  20. Stroke prevention in hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagpal, Seema; Anderson, David; Putnam, Wayne; Flowerdew, Gordon; Gardner, Martin; Cox, Jafna

    2003-01-01

    Oral anticoagulants reduce the incidence of stroke by 68%, yet suboptimal use has been documented in surveys of patients with atrial fibrillation. The present study examined current patterns of anticoagulant use for patients hospitalized with atrial fibrillation across an entire health care system. Improving Cardiovascular Outcomes in Nova Scotia (ICONS) is a prospective cohort study involving all patients hospitalized in Nova Scotia with atrial fibrillation, among other conditions. Consecutive inpatients with atrial fibrillation from October 15, 1997 to October 14, 1998 were studied. Detailed demographic and clinical data were collected and the proportion of patients using antithrombotic therapy was tabulated by risk category. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship of various demographic and clinical factors with the use of antithrombotic agents. There were 2202 patients hospitalized with atrial fibrillation; 644 admitted specifically for this condition. Only 21% of patients admitted with atrial fibrillation were on warfarin sodium at admission and this increased by time of discharge. Diabetes was negatively correlated with warfarin sodium use. Histories of prosthetic valve replacement, stroke/transient ischemic attack, and heart failure were positively associated with anticoagulant use on admission. Patients with prosthetic valve replacement, heart failure, or hyperlipidemia were most likely to receive anticoagulants at discharge. Antithrombotic agents remain underused by patients with atrial fibrillation. While higher risk patients are generally targeted, this is not invariably the case; thus, diabetics remain under treated. Further work is needed to explain such anomalous practice and promote optimal antithrombotic therapy use.

  1. Occlusion of left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    О. Н. Ганеева

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The article reviews a new method of prophylaxis of thromboembolitic complications, specifically occlusion of left atrial appendage, in patients with atrial fibrillation. Indications and contraindications for the procedure, as well as a step-by-step process of the intervention itself are described. Special emphasis is placed on the up-to-date evidence and the review of clinical trials.

  2. Clinical characteristics, management, and control of permanent vs. nonpermanent atrial fibrillation: insights from the RealiseAF survey.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Murin, Jan

    2014-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation can be categorized into nonpermanent and permanent atrial fibrillation. There is less information on permanent than on nonpermanent atrial fibrillation patients. This analysis aimed to describe the characteristics and current management, including the proportion of patients with successful atrial fibrillation control, of these atrial fibrillation subsets in a large, geographically diverse contemporary sample.

  3. Use of Vitamins K antagonists in non-valvular atrial fibrillation ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: atrial fibrillation is the commonest cardiac rythm disorder. Thromboembolic accidents are common complications that should be prevented by anticoagulant treatment. The aim of our study is to assess the use of vitamins K antagonists in the prevention of thromboembolic risk in atrial fibrillation. Methods: it was a ...

  4. Left Atrial 4D Blood Flow Dynamics and Hemostasis following Electrical Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Merih Cibis

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Electrical cardioversion in patients with atrial fibrillation is followed by a transiently impaired atrial mechanical function, termed atrial stunning. During atrial stunning, a retained risk of left atrial thrombus formation exists, which may be attributed to abnormal left atrial blood flow patterns. 4D Flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR enables blood flow assessment from the entire three-dimensional atrial volume throughout the cardiac cycle. We sought to investigate left atrial 4D blood flow patterns and hemostasis during left atrial stunning and after left atrial mechanical function was restored.Methods: 4D Flow and morphological CMR data as well as blood samples were collected in fourteen patients at two time-points: 2–3 h (Time-1 and 4 weeks (Time-2 following cardioversion. The volume of blood stasis and duration of blood stasis were calculated. In addition, hemostasis markers were analyzed.Results: From Time-1 to Time-2: Heart rate decreased (61 ± 7 vs. 56 ± 8 bpm, p = 0.01; Maximum change in left atrial volume increased (8 ± 4 vs. 22 ± 15%, p = 0.009; The duration of stasis (68 ± 11 vs. 57 ± 8%, p = 0.002 and the volume of stasis (14 ± 9 vs. 9 ± 7%, p = 0.04 decreased; Thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT decreased (5.2 ± 3.3 vs. 3.3 ± 2.2 μg/L, p = 0.008. A significant correlation was found between TAT and the volume of stasis (r2 = 0.69, p < 0.001 at Time-1 and between TAT and the duration of stasis (r2 = 0.34, p = 0.04 at Time-2.Conclusion: In this longitudinal study, left atrial multidimensional blood flow was altered and blood stasis was elevated during left atrial stunning compared to the restored left atrial mechanical function. The coagulability of blood was also elevated during atrial stunning. The association between blood stasis and hypercoagulability proposes that assessment of left atrial 4D flow can add to the pathophysiological understanding of thrombus formation during atrial fibrillation

  5. Left Atrial 4D Blood Flow Dynamics and Hemostasis following Electrical Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cibis, Merih; Lindahl, Tomas L.; Ebbers, Tino; Karlsson, Lars O.; Carlhäll, Carl-Johan

    2017-01-01

    Background: Electrical cardioversion in patients with atrial fibrillation is followed by a transiently impaired atrial mechanical function, termed atrial stunning. During atrial stunning, a retained risk of left atrial thrombus formation exists, which may be attributed to abnormal left atrial blood flow patterns. 4D Flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) enables blood flow assessment from the entire three-dimensional atrial volume throughout the cardiac cycle. We sought to investigate left atrial 4D blood flow patterns and hemostasis during left atrial stunning and after left atrial mechanical function was restored. Methods: 4D Flow and morphological CMR data as well as blood samples were collected in fourteen patients at two time-points: 2–3 h (Time-1) and 4 weeks (Time-2) following cardioversion. The volume of blood stasis and duration of blood stasis were calculated. In addition, hemostasis markers were analyzed. Results: From Time-1 to Time-2: Heart rate decreased (61 ± 7 vs. 56 ± 8 bpm, p = 0.01); Maximum change in left atrial volume increased (8 ± 4 vs. 22 ± 15%, p = 0.009); The duration of stasis (68 ± 11 vs. 57 ± 8%, p = 0.002) and the volume of stasis (14 ± 9 vs. 9 ± 7%, p = 0.04) decreased; Thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) decreased (5.2 ± 3.3 vs. 3.3 ± 2.2 μg/L, p = 0.008). A significant correlation was found between TAT and the volume of stasis (r2 = 0.69, p < 0.001) at Time-1 and between TAT and the duration of stasis (r2 = 0.34, p = 0.04) at Time-2. Conclusion: In this longitudinal study, left atrial multidimensional blood flow was altered and blood stasis was elevated during left atrial stunning compared to the restored left atrial mechanical function. The coagulability of blood was also elevated during atrial stunning. The association between blood stasis and hypercoagulability proposes that assessment of left atrial 4D flow can add to the pathophysiological understanding of thrombus formation during atrial fibrillation related

  6. The economics of atrial fibrillation: a time for review and prioritization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cadilhac, Dominique A

    2012-08-01

    Stroke associated with atrial fibrillation may occur in up to one third of people who experience an ischemic event, and results in greater stroke severity and poorer health outcomes. The ageing population in developed and developing countries will lead to an increase in the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in society. Detecting people who have atrial fibrillation and ensuring optimal prevention management is essential for reducing the burden of stroke worldwide. There is evidence that use of anticoagulants is inadequate in primary and secondary prevention of stroke. New anticoagulants that have fewer side effects and population screening tools are available. However, there is little information available about the cost-effectiveness of these new options for atrial fibrillation detection and stroke prevention management over current practice. Since resources for spending in health are limited, it is essential that formal economic analyses are undertaken to ensure there are informed and evidence-based decisions on where to best invest stroke prevention resources. It is essential that renewed efforts in the area of atrial fibrillation and options for stroke prevention are undertaken within the public health research community. © 2012 The Author. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

  7. Managing atrial fibrillation in the elderly: critical appraisal of dronedarone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trigo P

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Paula Trigo, Gregory W FischerDepartment of Anesthesiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USAAbstract: Atrial fibrillation is the most commonly seen arrhythmia in the geriatric population and is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Treatment of the elderly with atrial fibrillation remains challenging for physicians, because this unique subpopulation is characterized by multiple comorbidities requiring chronic use of numerous medications, which can potentially lead to severe drug interactions. Furthermore, age-related changes in the cardiovascular system as well as other physiological changes result in altered drug pharmacokinetics. Dronedarone is a new drug recently approved for the treatment of arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter. Dronedarone is a benzofuran amiodarone analog which lacks the iodine moiety and contains a methane sulfonyl group that decreases its lipophilicity. These differences in chemical structure are responsible for making dronedarone less toxic than amiodarone which, in turn, results in fewer side effects. Adverse events for dronedarone include gastrointestinal side effects and rash. No dosage adjustments are required for patients with renal impairment. However, the use of dronedarone is contraindicated in the presence of severe hepatic dysfunction.Keywords: atrial fibrillation, elderly, antiarrhythmic agents, amiodarone, dronedarone

  8. Time to implement fitness and reduction of fatness in atrial fibrillation therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Gelder, Isabelle C.; Hobbelt, Anne H.; Brugemann, Johan; Rienstra, Michiel

    This editorial refers to ‘Self-reported physical activity and major adverse events in patients with atrial fibrillation: a report from the EURObservational Research Programme Pilot Survey on Atrial Fibrillation (EORP-AF) General Registry’ by M. Proietti et al. , doi:10.1093/europace/euw150. Atrial

  9. Atrial fibrillation and the 4P medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Censi, Federica; Cianfrocca, Cinzia; Purificato, Ivana

    2013-01-01

    Although the paradigm of the 4P medicine - Predictive, Personalized, Preemptive, and Participatory - has been suggested several years ago, its application to atrial fibrillation is still far away. Given the increasing prevalence and incidence of this pathology it is the time to promote preventive strategies, by identifying the risk factors associated to life style and by incentivizing innovative diagnostic technologies. The promotion of the correct life style and of the use of diagnostic devices based on innovative and reliable technologies, represent a first step towards the full realization of the revolution of 4P medicine in atrial fibrillation.

  10. Atrial fibrillation and the 4P medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Federica Censi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Although the paradigm of the 4P medicine - Predictive, Personalized, Preemptive, and Participatory - has been suggested several years ago, its application to atrial fibrillation is still far away. Given the increasing prevalence and incidence of this pathology it is the time to promote preventive strategies, by identifying the risk factors associated to life style and by incentivizing innovative diagnostic technologies. The promotion of the correct life style and of the use of diagnostic devices based on innovative and reliable technologies, represent a first step towards the full realization of the revolution of 4P medicine in atrial fibrillation.

  11. Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Rheumatic Valve Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernesto Koehler Chavez

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To assess heart rhythm and predictive factors associated with sinus rhythm after one year in patients with rheumatic valve disease undergoing concomitant surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. Operative mortality, survival and occurrence of stroke after one year were also evaluated. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal observational study of 103 patients undergoing rheumatic mitral valve surgery and ablation of atrial fibrillation using uni- or bipolar radiofrequency between January 2013 and December 2014. Age, gender, functional class (NYHA, type of atrial fibrillation, EuroSCORE, duration of atrial fibrillation, stroke, left atrial size, left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiopulmonary bypass time, myocardial ischemia time and type of radiofrequency were investigated. Results: After one year, 66.3% of patients were in sinus rhythm. Sinus rhythm at hospital discharge, lower left atrial size in the preoperative period and bipolar radiofrequency were associated with a greater chance of sinus rhythm after one year. Operative mortality was 7.7%. Survival rate after one year was 92.3% and occurrence of stroke was 1%. Conclusion: Atrial fibrillation ablation surgery with surgical approach of rheumatic mitral valve resulted in 63.1% patients in sinus rhythm after one year. Discharge from hospital in sinus rhythm was a predictor of maintenance of this rhythm. Increased left atrium and use of unipolar radiofrequency were associated with lower chance of sinus rhythm. Operative mortality rate of 7.7% and survival and stroke-free survival contribute to excellent care results for this approach.

  12. Non-invasive measurements of cardiac output in atrial fibrillation: Inert gas rebreathing and impedance cardiography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Osbak, Philip S; Henriksen, Jens Henrik Sahl; Kofoed, Klaus F

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Background. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. To test the effect of interventions, knowledge of cardiac output (CO) is important. However, the irregular heart rate might cause some methods for determination of CO to have inherent weaknesses....

  13. Atrial remodelling in atrial fibrillation: CaMKII as a nodal proarrhythmic signal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mesubi, Olurotimi O.; Anderson, Mark E.

    2016-01-01

    CaMKII is a serine–threonine protein kinase that is abundant in myocardium. Emergent evidence suggests that CaMKII may play an important role in promoting atrial fibrillation (AF) by targeting a diverse array of proteins involved in membrane excitability, cell survival, calcium homeostasis, matrix remodelling, inflammation, and metabolism. Furthermore, CaMKII inhibition appears to protect against AF in animal models and correct proarrhythmic, defective intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in fibrillating human atrial cells. This review considers current concepts and evidence from animal and human studies on the role of CaMKII in AF. PMID:26762270

  14. Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fanaroff, Alexander C; Steffel, Jan; Alexander, John H

    2018-01-01

    of anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Observational studies employing RWD are useful for describing how oral anticoagulants are used in clinical practice, but generally cannot be used to make claims regarding comparative treatment effects. Questions regarding treatment effect generally are best answered...

  15. The Impact of Age on the Epidemiology of Atrial Fibrillation Hospitalizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naderi, Sahar; Wang, Yun; Miller, Amy L.; Rodriguez, Fátima; Chung, Mina K.; Radford, Martha J.; Foody, JoAnne M.

    2015-01-01

    Background Given 4 million individuals in the United States suffer from atrial fibrillation, understanding the epidemiology of this disease is crucial. We sought to identify and characterize the impact of age on national atrial fibrillation hospitalization patterns. Methods The study sample was drawn from the 2009–2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Patients hospitalized with a principal ICD9 discharge diagnosis of atrial fibrillation were included. Patients were categorized as “older” (65 and older) or “younger” (under 65 years) for the purposes of analysis. The outcomes measured included hospitalization rate, length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and discharge status. Results We identified 192,846 atrial fibrillation hospitalizations. There was significant geographic variation in hospitalizations for both younger and older age groups. States with high hospitalizations differed from those states known to have high stroke mortality. Younger patients (33% of the sample) were more likely to be obese (21% versus 8%, patrial fibrillation hospitalizations in contemporary practice. Younger patients are healthier, with a different distribution of risk factors, than older patients who have higher associated morbidity and mortality. PMID:24332722

  16. Apixaban in patients at risk of stroke undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirchhof, Paulus; Haeusler, Karl Georg; Blank, Benjamin

    2018-01-01

    Aims: It is recommended to perform atrial fibrillation ablation with continuous anticoagulation. Continuous apixaban has not been tested. Methods and results: We compared continuous apixaban (5 mg b.i.d.) to vitamin K antagonists (VKA, international normalized ratio 2-3) in atrial fibrillation pa...

  17. Cardiovascular exercise and burden of arrhythmia in patients with atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skielboe, Ane Katrine; Bandholm, Thomas Quaade; Hakmann, Stine

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Physical activity at moderate-high intensity is recommended to prevent lifestyle diseases. Patients with atrial fibrillation are at risk of a sedentary lifestyle due to fear of exercise-induced episodes of atrial fibrillation. The burden of arrhythmia can be reduced by physical exercise...

  18. Risk of atrial fibrillation as a function of the electrocardiographic PR interval

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jonas Bille; Pietersen, Adrian; Graff, Claus

    2013-01-01

    Prolongation of the PR interval has been associated with an increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF).......Prolongation of the PR interval has been associated with an increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF)....

  19. Atrial fibrillation pearls and perils of management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kudenchuk, P J

    1996-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation, a common arrhythmia, is responsible for considerable cardiovascular morbidity. Its management demands more than antiarrhythmic therapy alone, but must address the causes and consequences of the arrhythmia. Although remediable causes are infrequently found, a thorough search for associated heart disease or its risk factors results in better-informed patient management. Controlling the ventricular response and protecting from thromboembolic complications are important initial goals of therapy and may include the administration of aspirin in younger, low-risk patients. Older patients and those with risk factors for systemic embolism are not adequately protected from stroke complications by aspirin therapy alone. It remains controversial whether all high-risk patients should receive warfarin and at what intensity. Whether and how sinus rhythm should be restored and maintained poses the greatest therapeutic controversy for atrial fibrillation. The mortal risk of antiarrhythmic therapy is substantially greater in patients with evidence of heart failure. In such persons, the risks and benefits of maintaining normal sinus rhythm with antiarrhythmic medications should be weighted carefully. A definitive cure for atrial fibrillation remains elusive, but promising surgical and catheter ablation therapies are being developed. PMID:8686300

  20. Association Between Left Atrial Compression And Atrial Fibrillation: A Case Presentation And A Short Review Of Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Niloy; Carlos, Morales-Mangual; Moshe, Gunsburg; Yitzhak, Rosen

    2016-01-01

    This case report describes a patient who developed palpitations and chest pain and was found to be in atrial fibrillation, which was likely due to the presence of an extra-cardiac mass. This was compressing the left atrium. The mass was related to small cell carcinoma, which decreased significantly in size after chemotherapy. Resolution of the atrial fibrillation correlated temporally with reduction in the size of the mass and alleviation of the left atrial compression.

  1. Sex-related differences in risk factors, type of treatment received and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and acute stroke: Results from the RAF-study (Early Recurrence and Cerebral Bleeding in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation)

    OpenAIRE

    Antonenko, Kateryna; Paciaroni, Maurizio; Agnelli, Giancarlo; Falocci, Nicola; Becattini, Cecilia; Marcheselli, Simona; Rueckert, Christina; Pezzini, Alessandro; Poli, Loris; Padovani, Alessandro; Csiba, Laszló; Szabó, Lilla; Sohn, Sung-Il; Tassinari, Tiziana; Abdul-Rahim, Azmil H

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Atrial fibrillation is an independent risk factor of thromboembolism. Women with atrial fibrillation are at a higher overall risk for stroke compared to men with atrial fibrillation. The aim of this study was to evaluate for sex differences in patients with acute stroke and atrial fibrillation, regarding risk factors, treatments received and outcomes.\\ud Methods Data were analyzed from the “Recurrence and Cerebral Bleeding in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke and Atrial Fibril...

  2. 78 FR 11207 - Clinical Study Designs for Surgical Ablation Devices for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-15

    ...] Clinical Study Designs for Surgical Ablation Devices for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation; Guidance for... devices intended for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. DATES: Submit either electronic or written... Study Designs for Surgical Ablation Devices for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation'' to the Division of...

  3. New Procedure for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Valvular Heart Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naser Safaie

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Patients with valvular heart disease suffer from atrial fibrillation for more than 12 months after valve surgery and have a low probability of remaining in sinus rhythm. We performed an intra-operative procedure similar to surgical maze ІІІ procedure for conversion of this arrhythmia to sinus rhythm. We did this study to evaluate the efficacy of this procedure to restore the sinus rhythm in patients with valvular heart disease. 28 patients with valvular heart disease and chronic persistent atrial fibrillation underwent different combinations of valve surgery and concomitant reduction of left and right atrial size and resection of both atrial auricles in Shahid Madani cardiothoracic center from September 2004 to October 2008. The procedure for atrial fibrillation treatment was performed with cardiopulmonary bypass and after mitral valve replacement. There was one in-hospital death postoperatively because of respiratory failure, but no other complication till 6 months after the operation. Out of 28 patients, 23 were in sinus rhythm one week after the operation, one patient had junctional rhythm after the operation that restored to sinus rhythm and 4 patients had persistent atrial fibrillation. During the 12-month follow up, atrial fibrillation was corrected in 82.14%. Doppler echocardiography in these patients with sinus rhythm demonstrated good atrial contractility. This procedure on both atria is effective and less invasive than the original maze procedure to eliminate the atrial fibrillation, and can be performed in patients with valvular heart disease without increasing the risk of operation.

  4. New Procedure for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Valvular Heart Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naser Safaie

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available "nPatients with valvular heart disease suffer from atrial fibrillation for more than 12 months after valve surgery and have a low probability of remaining in sinus rhythm. We performed an intra-operative procedure similar to surgical maze ІІІ procedure for conversion of this arrhythmia to sinus rhythm. We did this study to evaluate the efficacy of this procedure to restore the sinus rhythm in patients with valvular heart disease. 28 patients with valvular heart disease and chronic persistent atrial fibrillation underwent different combinations of valve surgery and concomitant reduction of left and right atrial size and resection of both atrial auricles in Shahid Madani cardiothoracic center from September 2004 to October 2008. The procedure for atrial fibrillation treatment was performed with cardiopulmonary bypass and after mitral valve replacement. There was one in-hospital death postoperatively because of respiratory failure, but no other complication till 6 months after the operation. Out of 28 patients, 23 were in sinus rhythm one week after the operation, one patient had junctional rhythm after the operation that restored to sinus rhythm and 4 patients had persistent atrial fibrillation. During the 12-month follow up, atrial fibrillation was corrected in 82.14%. Doppler echocardiography in these patients with sinus rhythm demonstrated good atrial contractility. This procedure on both atria is effective and less invasive than the original maze procedure to eliminate the atrial fibrillation, and can be performed in patients with valvular heart disease without increasing the risk of operation.

  5. [Left versus bi-atrial radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jian-Gang; Meng, Xu; Li, Hui

    2008-11-25

    To evaluate the effectiveness of radiofrequency modified maze operation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) and compare the results of the left versus bi-atrial procedures. 305 patients of organic heart disease combined with AF, 117 males and 188 females, aged (53 +/- 10), that underwent cardiac valve operation (n = 293) and/or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (n = 14), received concomitant atrial fibrillation, bi-atrial (n = 160) or left atrial (n = 145) with a mean duration of (36 +/- 43) months. Follow-up was conducted for (28 +/- 5) (3 - 42) months. Thirteen patients (4.3%) died postoperatively: 7 died of multisystem and organ failure, 3 of low cardiac output, 1 of rupture of left ventricle, 1 of arrhythmia, and 1 of sudden death. During the follow-up, 1 patient died of heart failure, 1 of encephalorrhagia and 1 of unknown reason in the bi-atrial group. At the end of the procedure 223 patients (73.1%) had sinus rhythm, with a sinus rhythm rate of 66.9% (107/160) in the bi-atrial group, significant lower than that in the left atrial group (80.0%, 116/145, P bi-atrial group was 80.0%, not significantly different from that of the left atrial group (81.9%, P > 0.05). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed there was no significant difference in the AF rhythm rate between these 2 groups (P = 0.33). Logistic regression analysis showed that the left atrial diameter of >/= 80 mm was an independent predictor of AF recurrence. Both the left and bi-atrial procedures are successful in terms of restoring sinus rhythm. Left atrial ablation in severe cases and where the incision of right atrium is not needed is a reasonable choice.

  6. Atrial fibrillation associated with chocolate intake abuse and chronic salbutamol inhalation abuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patanè, Salvatore; Marte, Filippo; La Rosa, Felice Carmelo; Rocca, Roberto La

    2010-11-19

    The use of substances as the substrate for atrial fibrillation is not frequently recognized. Chocolate is derived from the roasted seeds of the plant theobroma cacao and its components are the methylxanthine alkaloids theobromine and caffeine. Caffeine is a methylxanthine whose primary biological effect is the competitive antagonism of the adenosine receptor. Normal consumption of caffeine was not associated with risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter. Sympathomimetic effects, due to circulating catecholamines cause the cardiac manifestations of caffeine overdose toxicity, produce tachyarrhythmias such as supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation.The commonly used doses of inhaled or nebulized salbutamol induced no acute myocardial ischaemia, arrhythmias or changes in heart rate variability in patients with coronary artery disease and clinically stable asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Two-week salbutamol treatment shifts the cardiovascular autonomic regulation to a new level characterized by greater sympathetic responsiveness and slight beta2-receptor tolerance. We present a case of atrial fibrillation associated with chocolate intake abuse in a 19-year-old Italian woman with chronic salbutamol inhalation abuse. This case focuses attention on chocolate intake abuse associated with chronic salbutamol abuse as the substrate for atrial fibrillation. Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Smartphone electrographic monitoring for atrial fibrillation in acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Hans T; Chen, Ziyuan; Swift, Corey; Churilov, Leonid; Guo, Ruibing; Liu, Xinfeng; Jannes, Jim; Mok, Vincent; Freedman, Ben; Davis, Stephen M; Yan, Bernard

    2017-10-01

    Rationale Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is a common and preventable cause of devastating strokes. However, currently available monitoring methods, including Holter monitoring, cardiac telemetry and event loop recorders, have drawbacks that restrict their application in the general stroke population. AliveCor™ heart monitor, a novel device that embeds miniaturized electrocardiography (ECG) in a smartphone case coupled with an application to record and diagnose the ECG, has recently been shown to provide an accurate and sensitive single lead ECG diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. This device could be used by nurses to record a 30-s ECG instead of manual pulse taking and automatically provide a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Aims To compare the proportion of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation detected by AliveCor™ ECG monitoring with current standard practice. Sample size 296 Patients. Design Consecutive ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack patients presenting to participating stroke units without known atrial fibrillation will undergo intermittent AliveCor™ ECG monitoring administered by nursing staff at the same frequency as the vital observations of pulse and blood pressure until discharge, in addition to the standard testing paradigm of each participating stroke unit to detect paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Study outcome Proportion of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation detected by AliveCor™ ECG monitoring compared to 12-lead ECG, 24-h Holter monitoring and cardiac telemetry. Discussion Use of AliveCor™ heart monitor as part of routine stroke unit nursing observation has the potential to be an inexpensive non-invasive method to increase paroxysmal atrial fibrillation detection, leading to improvement in stroke secondary prevention.

  8. Dabigatran versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Connolly, Stuart J.; Ezekowitz, Michael D.; Yusuf, Salim; Eikelboom, John; Oldgren, Jonas; Parekh, Amit; Pogue, Janice; Reilly, Paul A.; Themeles, Ellison; Varrone, Jeanne; Wang, Susan; Alings, Marco; Xavier, Denis; Zhu, Jun; Diaz, Rafael; Lewis, Basil S.; Darius, Harald; Diener, Hans-Christoph; Joyner, Campbell D.; Wallentin, Lars; Connolly, S. J.; Ezekowitz, M. D.; Yusuf, S.; Eikelboom, J.; Oldgren, J.; Parekh, A.; Reilly, P. A.; Themeles, E.; Varrone, J.; Wang, S.; Palmcrantz-Graf, E.; Haehl, M.; Wallentin, L.; Alings, A. M. W.; Amerena, J. V.; Avezum, A.; Baumgartner, I.; Brugada, J.; Budaj, A.; Caicedo, V.; Ceremuzynski, L.; Chen, J. H.; Commerford, P. J.; Dans, A. L.; Darius, H.; Di Pasquale, G.; Diaz, R.; Erol, C.; Ferreira, J.; Flaker, G. C.; Flather, M. D.; Franzosi, M. G.; Gamboa, R.; Golitsyn, S. P.; Gonzalez Hermosillo, J. A.; Halon, D.; Heidbuchel, H.; Hohnloser, S. H.; Hori, M.; Huber, K.; Jansky, P.; Kamensky, G.; Keltai, M.; Kim, S.; Lau, C. P.; Le Heuzey, J. Y. F.; Lewis, B. S.; Liu, L. S.; Nanas, J.; Razali, O.; Pais, P. S.; Parkhomenko, A. N.; Pedersen, K. E.; Piegas, L. S.; Raev, D.; Simmers, T. A.; Smith, P. J.; Talajic, M.; Tan, R. S.; Tanomsup, S.; Toivonen, L.; Vinereanu, D.; Xavier, D.; Zhu, J.; Diener, H. C.; Joyner, C. D.; Diehl, A.; Ford, G.; Robinson, M.; Silva, J.; Sleight, P.; Wyse, D. G.; Collier, J.; de Mets, D.; Hirsh, J.; Lesaffre, E.; Ryden, L.; Sandercock, P.; Anastasiou-Nana, M. I.; Andersen, G.; Annex, B. H.; Atra, M.; Bornstein, N. M.; Boysen, G.; Brouwers, P. J. A. M.; Buerke, M.; Burrell, L. M.; Chan, Y. K.; Chen, W. H.; Cheung, R. T. F.; Divakaramenon, S.; Donnan, G. A.; Duray, G. Z.; Dvorakova, H.; Fiedler, J.; Gardinale, E.; Gates, P. C.; Goshev, E. G.; Goto, S.; Gross, B.; Guimaraes, H. P.; Gulkevych, O.; Haberl, R. L.; Hankey, G.; Hartikainen, J.; Healey, J.; Iliesiu, A. M.; Irkin, O.; Jaxa-Chamiec, T.; Jolly, S.; Kaste, K. A. M.; Kies, B.; Kostov, K. D.; Kristensen, K. S.; Labovitz, A. J.; Lassila, R. P. T.; Lee, K. L. F.; Lutay, Y. M.; Magloire, P.; Mak, K. H.; Meijer, A.; Mihov, L.; Morillo, C. A.; Morillo, L. E.; Nair, G. M.; Norrving, B.; Ntalianis, A.; Ntsekhe, M.; Olah, L.; Pasco, P. M. D.; Peeters, A.; Perovic, V.; Petrov, I.; Pizzolato, G.; Rafti, F.; Rey, N. R.; Ribas, S.; Rokoss, M.; Sarembock, I. J.; Sheth, T.; Shuaib, A.; Sitkei, E.; Sorokin, E.; Srámek, M.; Strozynska, E.; Tanne, D.; Thijs, V. N. S.; Tomek, A.; Turazza, F.; Vanhooren, G.; Vizel, S. A.; Vos, J.; Wahlgren, N.; Weachter, R.; Zaborska, B.; Zaborski, J.; Zimlichman, R.; Cong, J.; Fendt, K.; Muldoon, S.; Bajkor, S.; Grinvalds, A.; Malvaso, M.; Pogue, J.; Simek, K.; Yang, S.; Alzogaray, M. F.; Bono, J. O.; Caccavo, A.; Cartasegna, L.; Casali, W. P.; Cuello, J. L.; Cuneo, C. A.; Elizari, M. V.; Fernandez, A. A.; Ferrari, A. E.; Gabito, A. J.; Goicoechea, R. F.; Gorosito, V. M.; Hirschson, A.; Hominal, M. A.; Hrabar, A. D.; Liberman, A.; Mackinnon, I. J.; Manzano, R. D.; Muratore, C. A.; Nemi, S. A.; Rodriguez, M. A.; Sanchez, A. S.; Secchi, J.; Vogel, D. R.; Colquhoun, D. M.; Crimmins, D. S.; Dart, A. M.; Davis, S. M.; Hand, P. J.; Kubler, P. A.; Lehman, R. G.; McBain, G.; Morrison, H. C.; New, G.; Singh, B. B.; Spence, C. Z.; Waites, J. H.; Auer, J.; Doweik, L.; Freihoff, F.; Gaul, G.; Gazo, F.; Geiger, H.; Giacomini, G.; Huber, G. W.; Jukic, I.; Lamm, G.; Niessner, H.; Podczeck, A.; Schuh, J.; Siostrzonek, P.; Steger, C.; Vogel, B.; Watzak, R.; Weber, H. S.; Weihs, W.; Blankoff, I.; Boland, J. L.; Brike, C.; Carlier, M.; Cools, F.; de Meester, A.; de Raedt, H. J.; de Wolf, L.; Dhooghe, G. M.; Dilling-Boer, D.; Elshot, S. R.; Fasseaux, S.; Goethals, M.; Goethals, P.; Gurne, O.; Hellemans, S.; Ivan, B.; Jottrand, M.; Kersschot, I.; Lecoq, E.; Marcovitch, O.; Melon, D.; Miljoen, H.; Missault, L.; Pierard, L. A.; Provenier, F.; Rousseau, M. F.; Stockman, D.; Tran-Ngoc, E.; van Mieghem, W.; Vandekerckhove, Y.; Vandervoort, P.; Verrostte, J.; Vijgen, J.; Armaganijan, D.; Braga, C.; Braga, J. C. 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S.; Ellsworth, S.; Elshahawy, M.; Emlein, G.; Entcheva, M.; Essandoh, L. K.; Estrada, A. Q.; Ewing, B.; Faillace, R. T.; Fanelli, A.; Farrell, P. W.; Farris, S. W.; Fattal, P. G.; Feigenblum, D. Y.; Feldman, G. J.; Fialkow, J. A.; Fiddler, K. M.; Fields, R. H.; Finkel, M. S.; Finn, C.; Fischell, T. A.; Fishbach, M.; Fishbein, G. J.; Fisher, M. M.; Fleischhauer, F. J.; Folk, T. G.; Folkerth, S. D.; Fortman, R. R.; Frais, M. A.; Friedman, D. C.; Fuchs, G.; Fuller, F.; Garibian, G.; Gee, F. H.; Gelernt, M. D.; Genovely, H. C.; Gerber, J. R.; Germano, J. J.; Giardina, J. J.; Gilbert, J. M.; Gillespie, E. L.; Gilman, E. M.; Gitler, B.; Givens, D. H.; Glover, R.; Gogia, H. S.; Gohn, D. C.; Goldberg, R. K.; Goldberger, J. J.; Goldscher, D. A.; Goldstein, M.; Goraya, T.; Gordon, D. F.; Gottlieb, D.; Grafner, H. L.; Graham, M.; Graves, M. W.; Graziano, M.; Greco, S. N.; Greenberg, M. L.; Greenspon, A. J.; Greer, G. S.; Griffin, D. D.; Grogan, E. W.; Groo, V. L.; Guarnieri, T.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, J.; Hack, T. C.; Hall, B.; Hallak, O.; Halpern, S. W.; Hamburg, C.; Hamroff, G. S.; Han, J.; Handel, F.; Hankins, S. R.; Hanovich, G. D.; Hanrahan, J. A.; Haque, I. U.; Hargrove, J. L.; Harnick, P. E.; Harris, J. L.; Hartley, P. A.; Haskel, E. J.; Hatch, D.; Haught, W. H.; Hearne, S.; Hearne, S. E.; Hemphill, J. A.; Henderson, D. A.; Henes, C. H.; Hengerer-Yates, T.; Hermany, P. R.; Herzog, W. R.; Hickey, K.; Hilton, T. C.; Hockstad, E. S.; Hodnett, P.; Hoffmeister, R.; Holland, J.; Hollenweger, L.; Honan, M. B.; Hoopes, D. A.; Hordes, A. R.; Hotchkiss, D. A.; Howard, M. A.; Howard, V. N.; Hulyalkar, A. R.; Hurst, P.; Hutchison, L. C.; Ingram, J.; Isakov, T.; Ison, R. K.; Israel, C. N.; Jackson, B. K.; Jackson, K. N.; Jacobson, A. K.; Jain, S.; Jarmukli, N. F.; Joffe, I.; Johnson, L. E.; Johnson, S. A.; Johnson, S. L.; Jones, A. A.; Joyce, D. B.; Judson, P. L.; Juk, S. S.; Kaatz, S.; Kaddaha, R. M.; Kaplan, K. J.; Karunaratne, H. B.; Kennett, J. D.; Kenton, D. M.; Kettunen, J. A.; Khan, M. A.; Khant, R. N.; Kirkwood, M. D.; Knight, B. P.; Knight, P. O.; Knutson, T. J.; Kobayashi, J. F.; Kogan, A.; Kogan, A. D.; Koren, M. J.; Kosinski, E. J.; Kosolcharoen, P.; Kostis, J. B.; Kramer, J. H.; Kramer, S. D.; Kron, J.; Kuchenrither, C. R.; Kulback, S. J.; Kumar, A.; Kushner, D.; Kutscher, A.; Lai, C. K.; Lam, J. B.; Landau, C.; Landzberg, J. S.; Lang, D. T.; Lang, J. M.; Lanzarotti, C. J.; Lascewski, D. L.; Lau, T. K.; Lee, J. K.; Lee, S.; Leimbach, W. N.; LePine, A. M.; Lesser, M. F.; Leuchak, S. H.; Levy, R. M.; Lewis, W. R.; Lincoln, T. L.; Lingerfelt, W. M.; Liston, M.; Liu, Z. G.; Lloret, R. L.; Lohrbauer, L.; Longoria, D. C.; Lott, B. M.; Louder, D. R.; Loukinen, K. L.; Lovell, J.; Lue, S.; Mackall, J. A.; Maletz, L.; Marlow, L.; Martin, R. C.; Matsumura, M.; McCartney, M. J.; McDuffie, D.; McGough, M. F.; McGrew, F. A.; McGuinn, Wm P.; McMillen, M. D.; McNeff, J.; McPherson, C. A.; Meengs, M. E.; Meengs, W. L.; Meholick, A. W.; Meisner, J. S.; Melucci, M. B.; Mercando, A.; Merlino, J. D.; Meymandi, S. K.; Miele, M. B.; Miller, R. H.; Miller, S. H.; Minor, S. T.; Mitchell, M. R.; Modi, M.; Mody, F. V.; Moeller, C. L.; Moloney, J. F.; Moran, J. E.; Morcos, N. C.; Morgan, A.; Mukherjee, S. K.; Mullinax, K.; Murphy, A. L.; Mustin, A. J.; Myers, G. I.; Naccarelli, G. V.; Nadar, V. K.; Nallasivan, M.; Navas, J. P.; Niazi, I. K.; Nsah, E. N.; Nunamaker, J. L.; Ochalek, T. B.; O'dea, D. J.; Ogilvie, P. D.; Olliff, B.; Omalley, A. K.; O'Neill, P. G.; Onufer, J. R.; Orchard, R. C.; Orihuela, L. A.; Ortiz, E. C.; O'Sullivan, M. T.; Padanilam, B. J.; Pandey, P.; Patel, D. V.; Patel, R. J.; Patel, V. B.; Patlola, R. R.; Pennock, G. D.; Perlman, R.; Peters, P. H.; Petrillo, A. V.; Pezzella, S.; Phillips, D.; Pierre-Louis, J. R.; Pilcher, G.; Pillai, C.; Pollock, S. G.; Pond, M. S.; Porterfield, J. K.; Presant, L.; Pressler, J.; Pribble, A. H.; Promisloff, S. D.; Pudi, K. K.; Putnam, D. L.; Quartner, J.; Quinn, J. C.; Quinnell, C. M.; Raad, G. L.; Rasmussen, L. A.; Ray, C.; Reiffel, J. A.; Reynertson, S.; Richardson, J. W.; Riley, C. P.; Rippy, J. S.; Rittelmeyer, J. T.; Roberts, D. M.; Robertson, R.; Robinson, V. J. B.; Rocco, T. A.; Rosenbaum, D.; Roth, E. M.; Rottman, J. N.; Rough, R. R.; Rubenstein, J. J.; Sakkal, A. M.; Saleem, T.; Salerno, D. M.; Samendinger, M. L.; Sandeno, S.; Santilli, T. M.; Santucci, P.; Sattar, P.; Saxman, K. A.; Schaefer, S.; Schmidt, J.; Schneider, R. M.; Schocken, D. D.; Schrader, M. K.; Schramm, B. A.; Schultz, R. W.; Schussheim, A. E.; Schwarz, E. F.; Seamon, M. C.; Sestero, J. D.; Shah, M. P.; Shah, R.; Shalaby, A.; Shanes, J. G.; Sheftel, G. L.; Sheikh, K. H.; Shein, A. B.; Shemonsky, N. K.; Shepler, A.; Sheridan, E.; Shipwash, T. M.; Shopnick, R. I.; Short, W. G.; Shoukfeh, M. F.; Sibia, R. S.; Siler, T. M.; Silva, J. A.; Simons, G. R.; Simpson, A. G.; Simpson, H. R.; Simpson, V. J.; Singh, B. N.; Singh, N.; Singh, V. N.; Sitz, C. J.; Skatrud, L.; Sklar, J.; Slotwiner, D. J.; Smith, P. F.; Smith, P. N.; Smith, R. H.; Smith, J. E.; Sodowick, B. C.; Solomon, A. J.; Soltero, E. A.; Sonel, A. F.; Sperling, R.; Spiller, C.; Spink, B. Z.; Sprinkle, L. W.; Spyropoulos, A. C.; Stamos, T. D.; Steljes, A. D.; Stillabower, M. E.; Stover, T.; Strain, J. E.; Strickland, T. L.; Suresh, D. P.; Takata, T. S.; Taylor, J. S.; Taylor, M.; Teague, S. M.; Teixeia, J. M.; Telfer, E. A.; Terry, P. S.; Terry, R. W.; Thai, H. M.; Thalin, M.; Thomas, V. N.; Thompson, C. A.; Thompson, M. A.; Thornton, J. W.; Tidman, R. E.; Toler, B. S.; Traina, M. I.; Trippi, J. A.; Ujiiye, D. L.; Usedom, J. E.; van de Graaff, E.; van de Wall, L. R.; Vaughn, J. W.; Ver Steeg, D.; Vicari, R. M.; Vijay, N.; Vitale, C. B.; Vlastaris, A. G.; Voda, J.; Vora, K. N.; Voyles, W. F.; Vranian, R. B.; Vrooman, P. S.; Waack, P.; Waldo, A. L.; Walker, J. L.; Wallace, M. A.; Walsh, E. A.; Walsh, R. L.; Walton, A.; Washam, M.; Wehner, P. S.; Wei, J. Y.; Weiner, S.; Weiss, R. J.; Wells, D. M.; Wera-Archakul, W.; Wertheimer, J. H.; West, S. A.; Whitaker, J. H.; White, M. L.; White, R. H.; Whitehill, J. N.; Wiegman, P. J.; Wiesel, J.; Williams, J.; Williams, L. E.; Williams, M. L.; Williamson, V. K.; Wilson, V. E.; Wilson, W. W.; Woodfield, S. L.; Wulff, C. W.; Yates, S. W.; Yousuf, K. A.; Zakhary, B. G.; Zambrano, R.; Zimetbaum, P.; Zoble, R.; Zopo, A. R.; Zwerner, P. L.

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Warfarin reduces the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation but increases the risk of hemorrhage and is difficult to use. Dabigatran is a new oral direct thrombin inhibitor. METHODS: In this noninferiority trial, we randomly assigned 18,113 patients who had atrial

  9. Persistent atrial fibrillation vs paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: differences in management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margulescu, Andrei D; Mont, Lluis

    2017-08-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common human arrhythmia. AF is a progressive disease, initially being nonsustained and induced by trigger activity, and progressing towards persistent AF through alteration of the atrial myocardial substrate. Treatment of AF aims to decrease the risk of stroke and improve the quality of life, by preventing recurrences (rhythm control) or controlling the heart rate during AF (rate control). In the last 20 years, catheter-based and, less frequently, surgical and hybrid ablation techniques have proven more successful compared with drug therapy in achieving rhythm control in patients with AF. However, the efficiency of ablation techniques varies greatly, being highest in paroxysmal and lowest in long-term persistent AF. Areas covered: In this review, we discuss the fundamental differences between paroxysmal and persistent AF and the potential impact of those differences on patient management, emphasizing the available therapeutic strategies to achieve rhythm control. Expert commentary: Treatment to prevent AF recurrences is suboptimal, particularly in patients with persistent AF. Emerging technologies, such as documentation of atrial fibrosis using magnetic resonance imaging and documentation of electrical substrate using advanced electrocardiographic imaging techniques are likely to provide valuable insights about patient-specific tailoring of treatments.

  10. Management of Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation in an Outpatient Clinic Setting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thrysoee, Lars; Strömberg, Anna; Brandes, Axel

    2018-01-01

    fibrillation is not a fatal disease in itself was very important for patients. At the same time, visiting the clinic was overwhelming, information was difficult to understand, and patients found it difficult to be involved in decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that patients were uncertain......AIMS: To gain in-depth knowledge of patients' experiences of the consultation processes at a multidisciplinary atrial fibrillation outpatient clinic in a university hospital in Denmark. BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia associated with morbidity and mortality...... if not diagnosed and treated as recommended. Patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation preferably should be managed in an outpatient setting which includes medical examination, patient education and decision making on medical therapy. DESIGN: This is a qualitative study of 14 patients newly diagnosed...

  11. Digoxin versus placebo, no intervention, or other medical interventions for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sethi, Naqash; Safi, Sanam; Feinberg, Joshua

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia of the heart with a prevalence of approximately 2% in the western world. Atrial flutter, another arrhythmia, occurs less often with an incidence of approximately 200,000 new patients per year in the USA. Patients with atrial fibrillati...

  12. Incisional left atrial isolation for ablation of atrial fibrillation in mitral valve surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graffigna, Angelo; Branzoli, Stefano; Sinelli, Stefano; Vigano, Mario

    2009-01-01

    The renewed interest in surgical techniques for atrial fibrillation (AF) limited to the left atrium has risen the importance of the original technique of left atrial isolation by means of surgical incision. Transmurality of lesions and cost containment are strong elements to be appreciated in this technique.

  13. Family history of atrial fibrillation is associated with earlier-onset and more symptomatic atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gundlund, Anna; Fosbøl, Emil Loldrup; Kim, Sunghee

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: We addressed whether patients with a family history of atrial fibrillation (AF) were diagnosed as having AF earlier in life, were more symptomatic, and had worse outcomes compared with those without a family history of AF. METHODS: Using the ORBIT-AF, we compared symptoms and disease...

  14. Cost-effectiveness of a specialized atrial fibrillation clinic vs. usual care in patients with atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, Jeroen; Tomini, Florian; van Asselt, Thea; Crijns, Harry; Vrijhoef, Hubertus

    AIMS: A recent randomized controlled trial demonstrated significant reductions in cardiovascular hospitalizations and deaths with a nurse-led integrated chronic care approach in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with usual care. The aim of the present study is to assess

  15. Cost-effectiveness of a specialized atrial fibrillation clinic vs. usual care in patients with atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, J.M.L.; Tomini, F.; van Asselt, A.D.I.; Crijns, H.J.G.M.; Vrijhoef, H.J.M.

    2013-01-01

    Aims A recent randomized controlled trial demonstrated significant reductions in cardiovascular hospitalizations and deaths with a nurse-led integrated chronic care approach in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with usual care. The aim of the present study is to assess

  16. Cardiac monitoring for detection of atrial fibrillation after TIA: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korompoki, Eleni; Del Giudice, Angela; Hillmann, Steffi; Malzahn, Uwe; Gladstone, David J; Heuschmann, Peter; Veltkamp, Roland

    2017-01-01

    Background and purpose The detection rate of atrial fibrillation has not been studied specifically in transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients although extrapolation from ischemic stroke may be inadequate. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the rate of newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation using different methods of ECG monitoring in TIA. Methods A comprehensive literature search was performed following a pre-specified protocol the PRISMA statement. Prospective observational studies and randomized controlled trials were considered that included TIA patients who underwent cardiac monitoring for >12 h. Primary outcome was frequency of detection of atrial fibrillation ≥30 s. Analyses of subgroups and of duration and type of monitoring were performed. Results Seventeen studies enrolling 1163 patients were included. The pooled atrial fibrillation detection rate for all methods was 4% (95% CI: 2-7%). Yield of monitoring was higher in selected (higher age, more extensive testing for arrhythmias before enrolment, or presumed cardioembolic/cryptogenic cause) than in unselected cohorts (7% vs 3%). Pooled mean atrial fibrillation detection rates rose with duration of monitoring: 4% (24 h), 5% (24 h to 7 days) and 6% (>7 days), respectively. Yield of non-invasive was significantly lower than that of invasive monitoring (4% vs. 11%). Significant heterogeneity was observed among studies (I 2 =60.61%). Conclusion This first meta-analysis of atrial fibrillation detection in TIA patients finds a lower atrial fibrillation detection rate in TIA than reported for IS and TIA cohorts in previous meta-analyses. Prospective studies are needed to determine actual prevalence of atrial fibrillation and optimal diagnostic procedure for atrial fibrillation detection in TIA.

  17. Left atrial size and function as predictors of new-onset of atrial fibrillation in patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bang, Casper Niels Furbo; Dalsgaard, Morten; Greve, Anders

    2013-01-01

    Left atrial (LA) size and function change with chronically increased left ventricular (LV) filling pressures. It remains unclear whether these variations in LA parameters can predict new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis (AS).......Left atrial (LA) size and function change with chronically increased left ventricular (LV) filling pressures. It remains unclear whether these variations in LA parameters can predict new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis (AS)....

  18. Recurrence of pulmonary vein conduction and atrial fibrillation after pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nilsson, Brian; Chen, Xu; Pehrson, Steen

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Both segmental ostial and circumferential extraostial pulmonary vein (PV) isolation have been proven effective in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the recurrence of AF and PV conduction after the 2 ablation strategies has never been compared in a randomized study...... isolation. Extraostial PV isolation was performed by encircling the paired left and right PVs, respectively, guided by an electroanatomic mapping system. RESULTS: A total of 84% of the patients had recurrent AF after the first PV isolation procedure, showing 72% with AF and 12% with organized left atrial...

  19. Psoriasis is associated with subsequent atrial fibrillation in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bang, Casper N; Okin, Peter M; Køber, Lars

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of psoriasis as well as atrial fibrillation. The impact of psoriasis and its association with new-onset atrial fibrillation was assessed in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). METHODS: The predictive value...... or developed psoriasis and new-onset atrial fibrillation occurred in 506 patients (7.1%) during a mean follow-up of 4.7 ± 1.1 years. At baseline, the psoriasis patients were younger (65 ± 7 vs. 67 ± 7 years) and had less left ventricle hypertrophy by ECG Sokolow-Lyon voltage (27.6 ± 9.7 vs. 30.1 ± 10.4 mm...... of baseline or incident psoriasis for new-onset atrial fibrillation was evaluated in 7099 hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic LVH with no history of atrial fibrillation or other cardiovascular disease, in sinus rhythm on their baseline electrocardiogram. RESULTS: A total of 154 patients (2.2%) had...

  20. Angiotensinogen and ACE gene polymorphisms and risk of atrial fibrillation in the general population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravn, Lasse S; Benn, Marianne; Nordestgaard, Børge G

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The renin-angiotensin system may play a role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation, and renin-angiotensin system blockers reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation. We hypothesized that polymorphisms in the angiotensinogen and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genes encoding...... in the ACE gene; rare allele frequencies were 0.16, 0.40, 0.12, 0.41, and 0.49, respectively. Participants had sinus rhythm at inclusion. During 26 years of follow-up, 968 individuals developed atrial fibrillation. Multifactorially adjusted hazard ratios for atrial fibrillation for a-20c ac and cc versus aa...... proteins in this system predict risk of atrial fibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We genotyped 9235 individuals from the Danish general population, The Copenhagen City Heart Study, for the a-20c, g-6a, T174M, and M235T polymorphisms in the angiotensinogen gene and the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism...

  1. Clinical application of low energy intracardiac cardioversion of atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Liqun; Gu Gang; Su Kan; Su Renying; Shen Yongchu; Shen Weifeng

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low energy intracardiac cardioversion in persistent atria fibrillation. Methods: Low energy intracardiac cardioversion was performed by delivering R wave-synchronized biphasic shocks in 7 patients (4 men, 3 women) with persistent atrial fibrillation. Prior to the procedure, all patients underwent transesophageal echocardiographic examinations to rule out the presence of intracardiac thrombus and received subcutaneous injection of low molecular weight heparin for 3-5 days. Two custom-made 6 Fr catheters (Rhythm Technologies of Getz, USA) were used for de-fibrillation shock delivery. One catheter was positioned in the lower right atrium so that the majority of the catheter electrodes had firm contact with the right atrial free wall. The second catheter was placed randomly either in coronary sinus through right internal jugular vein or in the left pulmonary artery through femoral vein. In addition, a standard diagnostic 6-F quadrupolar catheter was placed at the right ventricular apex for ventricular synchronization and postshock ventricular pacing. Shocks were delivered by Implant Support Device (Model 4510, Teleceronics). After conversion, all patients were treated with intravenous amiodarone in the first 24 hours followed by oral administration. Results: In all 7 patients cardioversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm was successfully obtained. A mean of 2 ± 1 shocks per patient has been delivered with a total amount of 13 shocks. The average delivered energy was 7.8 ± 2.2 Joules. No complication occurred. At a mean follow-up of 18 ± 9 months, 4 of the 7 patients treated successfully showed sinus rhythm there after. Atrial fibrillation recurred in 3 patients at the second, fifth day and eighth month after cardioversion. Conclusions: Low energy intracardiac cardioversion is effective and safe, and can be easily performed in patients without general anesthesia. It offers a new option for restoring sinus

  2. Circulating microRNA-1a is a biomarker of Graves' disease patients with atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fang; Zhang, Sheng-Jie; Yao, Xuan; Tian, Dong-Mei; Zhang, Ke-Qin; She, Dun-Min; Guo, Fei-Fan; Zhai, Qi-Wei; Ying, Hao; Xue, Ying

    2017-07-01

    It has been increasingly suggested that specific microRNAs expression profiles in the circulation and atrial tissue are associated with the susceptibility to atrial fibrillation. Nonetheless, the role of circulating microRNAs in Graves' disease patients with atrial fibrillation has not yet been well described. The objective of the study was to identify the role of circulating microRNAs as specific biomarkers for the diagnosis of Graves' disease with atrial fibrillation. The expression profiles of eight serum microRNAs, which are found to be critical in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation, were determined in patients with Graves' disease with or without atrial fibrillation. MicroRNA expression analysis was performed by real-time PCR in normal control subjects (NC; n = 17), patients with Graves' disease without atrial fibrillation (GD; n = 29), patients with Graves' disease with atrial fibrillation (GD + AF; n = 14), and euthyroid patients with atrial fibrillation (AF; n = 22). Three of the eight serum microRNAs,i.e., miR-1a, miR-26a, and miR-133, had significantly different expression profiles among the four groups. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the relative expression level of miR-1a was positively correlated with free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4), and negatively related to thyroid stimulating hormone. Spearman's correlations analysis also revealed that the level of miR-1a was negatively correlated with a critical echocardiographic parameter (left atrial diameter), which was dramatically increased in GD + AF group compared to GD group. Furthermore, the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that, among the eight microRNAs, miR-1a had the largest area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves not only for discriminating between individuals with and without Graves' disease, but also for predicting the presence of atrial fibrillation in patients with Graves' disease. Our findings

  3. Atrial Fibrillation in Eight New World Camelids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozorgmanesh, R; Magdesian, K G; Estell, K E; Stern, J A; Swain, E A; Griffiths, L G

    2016-01-01

    There is limited information on the incidence of clinical signs, concurrent illness and treatment options for atrial fibrillation (AF) in New World Camelids (NWC). Describe clinical signs and outcome of AF in NWC. Eight New World Camelids admitted with AF. A retrospective observational study of camelids diagnosed with AF based on characteristic findings on electrocardiogram (ECG). All animals had an irregularly irregular heart rhythm detected on physical examination and 4 cases had obtunded mentation on admission. Three camelids were diagnosed with AF secondary to oleander intoxication, 3 animals had underlying cardiovascular disease, 1 was diagnosed with lone AF and 1 had AF diagnosed on examination for a urethral obstruction. Five of eight animals survived to discharge and nonsurvivors consisted of animals which died or were euthanized as a result of cardiovascular disease (2/8) or extra-cardiac disease unrelated to the AF (1/8). Atrial fibrillation occurs in NWC in association with cardiovascular disease, extra-cardiac disease or as lone AF. Amiodarone and transthoracic cardioversion were attempted in one llama with lone AF, but were unsuccessful. Atrial fibrillation was recorded in 0.1% of admissions. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

  4. The spectrum of thyroid disease and risk of new onset atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Selmer, Christian; Olesen, Jonas Bjerring; Hansen, Morten Lock

    2012-01-01

    To examine the risk of atrial fibrillation in relation to the whole spectrum of thyroid function in a large cohort of patients.......To examine the risk of atrial fibrillation in relation to the whole spectrum of thyroid function in a large cohort of patients....

  5. Stroke and bleeding in atrial fibrillation with chronic kidney disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Jonas Bjerring; Lip, Gregory Y.H.; Kamper, Anne-Lise

    2012-01-01

    Both atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease increase the risk of stroke and systemic thromboembolism. However, these risks, and the effects of antithrombotic treatment, have not been thoroughly investigated in patients with both conditions.......Both atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease increase the risk of stroke and systemic thromboembolism. However, these risks, and the effects of antithrombotic treatment, have not been thoroughly investigated in patients with both conditions....

  6. Role of atrial endothelial cells in the development of atrial fibrosis and fibrillation in response to pressure overload.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kume, Osamu; Teshima, Yasushi; Abe, Ichitaro; Ikebe, Yuki; Oniki, Takahiro; Kondo, Hidekazu; Saito, Shotaro; Fukui, Akira; Yufu, Kunio; Miura, Masahiro; Shimada, Tatsuo; Takahashi, Naohiko

    Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)-mediated inflammatory mechanisms have been shown to play a crucial role in atrial fibrosis induced by pressure overload. In the present study, we investigated whether left atrial endothelial cells would quickly respond structurally and functionally to pressure overload to trigger atrial fibrosis and fibrillation. Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent suprarenal abdominal aortic constriction (AAC) or a sham operation. By day 3 after surgery, macrophages were observed to infiltrate into the endocardium. The expression of MCP-1 and E-selectin in atrial endothelium and the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and ED1 in left atrial tissue were enhanced. Atrial endothelial cells were irregularly hypertrophied with the disarrangement of lines of cells by scanning electron microscopy. Various-sized gap formations appeared along the border in atrial endothelial cells, and several macrophages were located just in the endothelial gap. Along with the development of heterogeneous interstitial fibrosis, interatrial conduction time was prolonged and the inducibility of atrial fibrillation by programmed extrastimuli was increased in the AAC rats compared to the sham-operated rats. Atrial endothelium responds rapidly to pressure overload by expressing adhesion molecules and MCP-1, which induce macrophage infiltration into the atrial tissues. These processes could be an initial step in the development of atrial remodeling for atrial fibrillation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation occurs often in cryptogenic ischaemic stroke

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, L M; Krieger, D W; Højberg, S

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of stroke fourfold and is associated with a poor clinical outcome. Despite work-up in compliance with guidelines, up to one-third of patients have cryptogenic stroke (CS). The prevalence of asymptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrilla......BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of stroke fourfold and is associated with a poor clinical outcome. Despite work-up in compliance with guidelines, up to one-third of patients have cryptogenic stroke (CS). The prevalence of asymptomatic paroxysmal atrial...... lasting predominantly between 1 and 4 h. Four recurrent strokes were observed, three in patients with PAF; all three patients were on oral anticoagulation (OAC). CONCLUSIONS: One in five patients with CS had PAF, which occurred at low burden and long after stroke. Future studies should determine the role...

  8. Increasing rate of atrial fibrillation from 2003 to 2011 in patients with ischaemic stroke

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jespersen, S F; Christensen, L. M.; Christensen, A

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The general awareness of atrial fibrillation is increasing. The key to prevent atrial fibrillation related stroke is oral anticoagulation therapy; however, it has often been proposed that oral anticoagulation therapy is under-utilized despite indication. The aim of the stu...... increase in the use of oral anticoagulation therapy, most probably reflecting an increased awareness and questioning assumed current under-use of oral anticoagulation therapy in secondary stroke prevention.......BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The general awareness of atrial fibrillation is increasing. The key to prevent atrial fibrillation related stroke is oral anticoagulation therapy; however, it has often been proposed that oral anticoagulation therapy is under-utilized despite indication. The aim of the study...... was to examine the trends in atrial fibrillation rate in patients after acute ischaemic stroke and to determine whether the use of oral anticoagulation therapy increased from 2003 to 2011. METHODS: In the nationwide Danish Stroke Registry 55 551 patients (≥18 years) admitted with acute ischaemic stroke were...

  9. Familial clustering of atrial fibrillation and comparative longitudinal outcomes of familial and non-familial atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gundlund, Anna; Olesen, Jonas B.; Peterson, Eric D.

    2017-01-01

    Several studies have suggested that family history of atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important risk factor for AF, with several specific genetic regions now implicated through Genome Wide Association Studies. In addition, familial AF is associated with earlier age of onset and affects patients...

  10. Association of Atrial Fibrillation with Morphological and Electrophysiological Changes of the Atrial Myocardium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matějková, Adéla; Šteiner, Ivo

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. For long time it was considered as pure functional disorder, but in recent years, there were identified atrial locations, which are involved in the initiation and maintenance of this arrhythmia. These structural changes, so called remodelation, start at electric level and later they affect contractility and morphology. In this study we attempted to find a possible relation between morphological (scarring, amyloidosis, left atrial (LA) enlargement) and electrophysiological (ECG features) changes in patients with AF. We examined grossly and histologically 100 hearts of necropsy patients - 54 with a history of AF and 46 without AF. Premortem ECGs were evaluated. The patients with AF had significantly heavier heart, larger LA, more severely scarred myocardium of the LA and atrial septum, and more severe amyloidosis in both atria. Severity of amyloidosis was higher in LAs vs. right atria (RAs). Distribution of both fibrosis and amyloidosis was irregular. The most affected area was in the LA anterior wall. Patients with a history of AF and with most severe amyloidosis have more often abnormally long P waves. Finding of long P wave may contribute to diagnosis of a hitherto undisclosed atrial fibrillation.

  11. [The prediction of atrial fibrillation recurrence after electrical cardioversion with the chemoreflex sensitivity].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budeus, M; Hennersdorf, M; Perings, C; Strauer, B E

    2004-04-01

    Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation have a lower chemoreflex sensitivity (CHRS) which is characterized as an autonomic dysfunction. Because of this observation we examined the theory of an autonomic dysfunction as the reason for the reccurrence of atrial fibrilation after electrical cardioversion. We measured the CHRS among 43 patients 24 h after successful electrical cardioversion and the patients were controlled for at least 6 months. During the six months of follow-up a recurrence was observed in 18 patients with a mean of 8.3 days. There was no difference in organic heart disease or in the use of drugs. Left atrial diameter was not significantly larger in patients with a recurrence. Patients with a recurrence have a significantly lower CHRS than patients with sinus rhythm (2.41 +/- 1.82 vs 5.62 +/- 3.02 ms/mmHg, p atrial fibrillation. The predictive power of the method has to be examined by prospective investigations of a larger patient population and a longer follow-up. Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation have a lower chemoreflex sensitivity (CHRS) which is characterized as an autonomic dysfunction. Because of this observation we examined the theory of an autonomic dysfunction as the reason for the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after electrical cardioversion.

  12. Dronedarone: a novel antiarrhythmic agent for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duray, Gabor Z; Ehrlich, Joachim R; Hohnloser, Stefan H

    2010-01-01

    To describe the electrophysiological profile and the clinical portfolio of dronedarone, a new multichannel-blocking antiarrhythmic drug developed for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Dronedarone is a derivative of amiodarone that is free of iodine and less lipophilic. The drug has - as its predecessor - multichannel-blocking efficacy and in addition vasodilating effects. It reduces the incidence of ventricular fibrillation in several experimental models. Dronedarone has undergone thorough clinical evaluation in various patient populations. In two large trials, the drug was shown to postpone the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after cardioversion relative to placebo. In a trial in unstable heart failure patients, there was excess mortality in the dronedarone arm. This trial was stopped prematurely and prompted the conduct of a large outcome study. The ATHENA trial demonstrated a significant reduction in cardiovascular hospitalizations and death in atrial fibrillation patients randomly assigned to receive dronedarone or placebo. This large trial in more than 4600 patients revealed no signs of excess mortality or morbidity in patients receiving dronedarone. On the basis of the results of five international, multicenter, randomized clinical trials involving nearly 6300 patients, dronedarone was approved by the FDA for treatment of nonpermanent atrial fibrillation to reduce the risk of cardiovascular hospitalization.

  13. Lessons from comparative studies of atrial fibrillation in dog, man and horse

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijler, F.L.; Tweel, I. van der; Herbschleb, J.N.; Heethaar, R.M.; Borst, C.

    1985-01-01

    Since its first description in 1903 by Hering, the irregularity of the heart beat has been the most striking characteristic of atrial fibrillation and has been subject of many studies. To quote Selzer, "Atrial fibrillation is the grandfather of cardiac arrhythmias." It is an arrhythmia that 1)

  14. Atrial fibrillation in a healthy adolescent after heavy smoking of contraband cigarettes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozyilmaz, Isa; Ozyilmaz, Sinem; Tosun, Oyku; Tola, Hasan Tahsin; Saygi, Murat; Ergul, Yakup

    2015-08-01

    The use of contraband cigarettes is a serious public health problem. We present a case of atrial fibrillation in a healthy adolescent suspected to be caused by smoking contraband cigarettes. A 15-year-old man was admitted to our emergency department experiencing syncope and palpitations. He was a cigarette smoker, but he had never smoked any illicit tobacco products before. He had finished a pack of counterfeit cigarettes (20 pieces) in 1.5 h. His electrocardiogram showed atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular response and irregular RR intervals. The patient had no history of alcohol use, surgery, palpitations, hypertension, chronic bronchitis, or any infectious diseases. His atrial fibrillation was converted to a normal sinus rhythm after the cardioversion treatment. Our patient was discharged from the pediatric cardiology service and advised to quit smoking cigarettes, strictly warning against illicit tobacco products. In conclusion, intensive smoking of counterfeit cigarettes may lead to occurrences of atrial fibrillation.

  15. Probability of atrial fibrillation after ablation: Using a parametric nonlinear temporal decomposition mixed effects model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajeswaran, Jeevanantham; Blackstone, Eugene H; Ehrlinger, John; Li, Liang; Ishwaran, Hemant; Parides, Michael K

    2018-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmic disorder where the electrical signals of the heart become irregular. The probability of atrial fibrillation (binary response) is often time varying in a structured fashion, as is the influence of associated risk factors. A generalized nonlinear mixed effects model is presented to estimate the time-related probability of atrial fibrillation using a temporal decomposition approach to reveal the pattern of the probability of atrial fibrillation and their determinants. This methodology generalizes to patient-specific analysis of longitudinal binary data with possibly time-varying effects of covariates and with different patient-specific random effects influencing different temporal phases. The motivation and application of this model is illustrated using longitudinally measured atrial fibrillation data obtained through weekly trans-telephonic monitoring from an NIH sponsored clinical trial being conducted by the Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinical Trials Network.

  16. [Echocardiographic factors predictive of restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm after reduction of atrial fibrillation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Khalfallah, A; Sanaa, I

    2007-09-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. While the arrhythmia was initially thought to be little more than a nuisance, it is now clear that AF has a significant negative impact on quality of life and a corresponding increase in both morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify Doppler echographic patterns that allow prediction of atrial fibrillation reduction and maintenance of sinus rhythm within 12 months. One hundred and thirty patients having permanent atrial fibrillation, recent (51) or chronic (79) are included in the study, excepting those with valvular heart disease or thyroid dysfunction. The mean age was 63.5 +/- 11.3 years. Both transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography was performed using a Philips SONOS 5500 Echograph, before cardioversion. Were studied: end diastolic and systolic left ventricular diameters, left ventricular ejectionnal fraction, left atrial area (LAA), left atrial diameter, left atrial appendage area and peak emptying velocities of the left atrial appendage (PeV). Sinus rhythm was re-established in 102 patients (44 having recent and 58 chronic atrial fibrillation). Sinus rhythm was maintained for 12 months in 79 patients. Within the echographic parameters studied, the left atrial area (LAA) and peak emptying velocities of left atrial appendage (PeV) before cardioversion were the best predictors of restoration of sinus rhythm. On monovariate analysis, SOG is significantly lower and PicV is significantly higher in patients whose sinus rhythm had been restored in comparison with those with permanent atrial fibrillation. (Mean SOG: 27.7 +/- 7.62 vs. 34 +/- 7,6 cm2, ppredict on mono and multivariate analysis (p=0.05, OR=0.5, IC=0.36 à 3.56), re-establishing of sinus rhythm whereas in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, peak emptying velocity of left atrial appendage predict better re-establishing of sinus rhythm (p=0.04, OR=1.29, IC=0.12 à 4.23). The threshold values of LAA and Pe

  17. Managing atrial fibrillation in the elderly: critical appraisal of dronedarone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trigo, Paula; Fischer, Gregory W

    2012-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation is the most commonly seen arrhythmia in the geriatric population and is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Treatment of the elderly with atrial fibrillation remains challenging for physicians, because this unique subpopulation is characterized by multiple comorbidities requiring chronic use of numerous medications, which can potentially lead to severe drug interactions. Furthermore, age-related changes in the cardiovascular system as well as other physiological changes result in altered drug pharmacokinetics. Dronedarone is a new drug recently approved for the treatment of arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter. Dronedarone is a benzofuran amiodarone analog which lacks the iodine moiety and contains a methane sulfonyl group that decreases its lipophilicity. These differences in chemical structure are responsible for making dronedarone less toxic than amiodarone which, in turn, results in fewer side effects. Adverse events for dronedarone include gastrointestinal side effects and rash. No dosage adjustments are required for patients with renal impairment. However, the use of dronedarone is contraindicated in the presence of severe hepatic dysfunction.

  18. Is there a clinically significant seasonal component to hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moineddin Rahim

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac dysrhythmia, particularly in the elderly. Recent studies have indicated a statistically significant seasonal component to atrial fibrillation hospitalizations. Methods We conducted a retrospective population cohort study using time series analysis to evaluate seasonal patterns of atrial fibrillation hospitalizations for the province of Ontario for the years 1988 to 2001. Five different series methods were used to analyze the data, including spectral analysis, X11, R-Squared, autocorrelation function and monthly aggregation. Results This study found evidence of weak seasonality, most apparent at aggregate levels including both ages and sexes. There was dramatic increase in hospitalizations for atrial fibrillation over the years studied and an age dependent increase in rates per 100,000. Overall, the magnitude of seasonal difference between peak and trough months is in the order of 1.4 admissions per 100,000 population. The peaks for hospitalizations were predominantly in April, and the troughs in August. Conclusions Our study confirms statistical evidence of seasonality for atrial fibrillation hospitalizations. This effect is small in absolute terms and likely not significant for policy or etiological research purposes.

  19. Epicardial, Biatrial Ablation With Integrated Uni-bipolar Radiofrequency Technology in Stand-alone Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosati, Fabrizio; Muneretto, Claudio; Merati, Elisa; Polvani, Gianluca; Moltrasio, Massimo; Tondo, Claudio; Curnis, Antonio; Cerini, Manuel; Metras, Alexandre; Bisleri, Gianluigi

    Although minimally invasive approaches for surgical treatment of stand-alone atrial fibrillation have gained popularity for the past decade, ablation technology and extensive lesion sets play a major role in the achievement of a successful procedure, especially in presence of persistent and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation. We evaluated clinical outcomes after totally endoscopic biatrial epicardial ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation with a novel integrated uni-bipolar radiofrequency device. Forty-nine (49) consecutive patients with stand-alone atrial fibrillation underwent right-sided monolateral thoracoscopic surgical ablation with a novel integrated uni-bipolar radiofrequency energy delivery and temperature-controlled technology. Atrial fibrillation was persistent in 13 (26.5%) of 49 and long-standing persistent in 36 (73.5%) of 49 patients. Mean ± SD age was 60.6 ± 10.3 years. Median duration of atrial fibrillation was 74 months. Mean ± SD left atrial diameter was 44.7 ± 4.0 mm. Epicardial en bloc isolation of all pulmonary veins (box lesion) and additional ablation of the right atrial free wall was successfully performed via minimally invasive approach without any intraoperative and postoperative major complications. Intraoperative entrance and exit block was achieved in 77.5% (38/49) and 91.8% (45/49) of patients, respectively. Mean ± SD ablation time was 16.3 ± 4.8 minutes. No intensive care unit stay was required. Postoperative sinus rhythm was achieved in 93.8% (30/32) patients, and no pacemaker implantation was required. At 13 months, 87.7% (43/49) of patients were in sinus rhythm; 71.4% (35/49) were free from antiarrhythmic drugs and 75.5% (37/49) from oral anticoagulation. Integrated uni-bipolar radiofrequency ablation technology showed to be effective for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation with a total endoscopic approach. A versapolar suction device with extensive right-left atrial lesion set may further improve

  20. [Recurrent right atrial thrombus in a patient with atrial fibrillation and heart failure].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elikowski, Waldemar; Wróblewski, Dariusz; Małek-Elikowska, Małgorzata; Mazurek, Andrzej; Foremska-Iciek, Joanna; Łazowski, Stanisław

    2015-11-01

    Atrial fibrillation and heart failure are factors predisposing to locally formed intracardiac thrombosis, which is usually localized in left-sided chambers. A case report. The authors present a case of a 50-year-old male with permanent atrial fibrillation and dilated cardiomyopathy in whom recurrent right atrial thrombus was observed. Initially, the lesion was detected in echocardiography while he was hospitalized due to extensive right-sided pneumonia. The thrombus was successfully treated with heparin, followed by warfarin. Even though the patient continued warfarin use properly, there was recurrence of the thrombus two years later during a new episode of heart failure exacerbation. Because the thrombus was resistant to intensified anticoagulation, cardiac surgery was needed. A large (30 x 25 mm) pedunculated thrombus, as well as two smaller ones (each of 10 x 10 mm) attached closely to the atrial wall and previously not detected either by echocardiography or by magnetic resonance imaging, were excited. A partially organized pattern of the thrombi in histological examination can explain lack of anticoagulation effectiveness. © 2015 MEDPRESS.

  1. Advanced age and incidence of atrial fibrillation in the postoperative period of aortic valve replacement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pivatto Júnior, Fernando; Teixeira Filho, Guaracy Fernandes; Sant'anna, João Ricardo Michelin; Py, Pablo Mondim; Prates, Paulo Roberto; Nesralla, Ivo Abrahão; Kalil, Renato Abdala Karam

    2014-01-01

    Objective This study aims to describe the correlation between age and occurrence of atrial fibrillation after aortic stenosis surgery in the elderly as well as evaluate the influence of atrial fibrillation on the incidence of strokes, hospital length of stay, and hospital mortality. Methods Cross-sectional retrospective study of > 70 year-old patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement. Results 348 patients were included in the study (mean age 76.8±4.6 years). Overall, post-operative atrial fibrillation was 32.8% (n=114), but it was higher in patients aged 80 years and older (42.9% versus 28.8% in patients aged 70-79 years, P=0.017). There was borderline significance for linear correlation between age and atrial fibrillation (P=0.055). Intensive Care Unit and hospital lengths of stay were significantly increased in atrial fibrillation (Patrial fibrillation. Conclusion Post-operative atrial fibrillation incidence in aortic valve replacement is high and correlates with age in patients aged 70 years and older and significantly more pronounced in patients aged 80 years. There was increased length of stay at Intensive Care Unit and hospital, but there was no increase in mortality or stroke. These data are important for planning prophylaxis and early treatment for this subgroup. PMID:24896162

  2. Exposure-Based Therapy for Symptom Preoccupation in Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Särnholm, Josefin; Skúladóttir, Helga; Rück, Christian

    2017-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Patients often experience a range of symptoms resulting in a markedly reduced quality of life, and commonly show symptom preoccupation in terms of avoidance and control behaviors. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been shown...... with symptomatic paroxysmal (intermittent) atrial fibrillation who were assessed pre- and posttreatment and at 6-month follow-up. The CBT lasted 10 weeks and included exposure to physical sensations similar to AF symptoms, exposure to avoided situations or activities, and behavioral activation. We observed large...

  3. Atrial Fibrillation and Coronary Bypass Surgery – What Can Be Risk Factors for its' Appearance?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slavenka Štraus

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available The main goal of our study was to evalúate possible perioperative risk factors for occurrence of atrial fibrillation in the postoperative period in patients after CABG operations. The study included 140 patients after CABG, divided into two groups - Group I - 64 patients with new onset of POAF and Group II - 76 patients without postoperative atrial fibrillation occurrence. In both groups possible risk factors for atrial fibrillation onset (preoperative and postoperative were analyzed.Results showed that we can predict new onset of atrial fibrillation after CABG if the following preoperative factors are present - low ejection fraction (less than 40%, LAd > 40mm, higher body mass index (BMI over 30, presence of COPD and older age. Important perioperative factors for onset of atrial fibrillation in our study were longer extracorporeal circulation, increased dose/number of inotropic drugs, blood transfusion and elevated WBC count postoperatively.

  4. Direct Proof of Endo-Epicardial Asynchrony of the Atrial Wall During Atrial Fibrillation in Humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Groot, Natasja; van der Does, Lisette; Yaksh, Ameeta; Lanters, Eva; Teuwen, Christophe; Knops, Paul; van de Woestijne, Pieter; Bekkers, Jos; Kik, Charles; Bogers, Ad; Allessie, Maurits

    2016-05-01

    The presence of focal fibrillation waves during atrial fibrillation (AF) can, besides ectopic activity, also be explained by asynchronous activation of the atrial endo- and epicardial layer and transmurally propagating fibrillation waves. To provide direct proof of endo-epicardial asynchrony, we performed simultaneous high-resolution mapping of the right atrial endo- and epicardial wall during AF in humans. Intraoperative mapping of the endo- and epicardial right atrial wall was performed during (induced) AF in 10 patients with AF (paroxysmal: n=3; persistent: n=4; and longstanding persistent: n=3) and 4 patients without a history of AF. A clamp made of 2 rectangular 8×16 electrode arrays (interelectrode distance 2 mm) was inserted into the incision in the right atrial appendage. Recordings of 10 seconds of AF were analyzed to determine the incidence of asynchronous endo-epicardial activation times (≥15 ms) of opposite electrodes. Asynchronous endo-epicardial activation ranged between 0.9 and 55.9% without preference for either side. Focal waves appeared equally frequent at endocardium and epicardium (11% versus 13%; ITALIC! P=0.18). Using strict criteria for breakthrough (presence of an opposite wave within 4 mm and ≤14 ms before the origin of the focal wave), the majority (65%) of all focal fibrillation waves could be attributed to endo-epicardial excitation. We provided the first evidence for asynchronous activation of the endo-epicardial wall during AF in humans. Endo-epicardial asynchrony may play a major role in the pathophysiology of AF and may offer an explanation why in some patients therapy fails. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  5. Atrial fibrillation in the Middle East

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Al-Shamkhani, Warkaa; Ayetey, Harold; Lip, Gregory Y H

    2018-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest persistent cardiac arrhythmia with an estimated incidence rate of between 1.5-2% and an important cause of strokes. Few epidemiological studies and clinical trials on the management of AF have been conducted outside Europe and North America...

  6. Spatial Relation Between Left Atrial Anatomical Contact Areas and Circular Activation in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakahara, Shiro; Yamaguchi, Takanori; Hori, Yuichi; Anjo, Naofumi; Hayashi, Akiko; Kobayashi, Sayuki; Komatsu, Takaaki; Sakai, Yoshihiko; Fukui, Akira; Tsuchiya, Takeshi; Taguchi, Isao

    2016-05-01

    Atrial low-voltage zones (LVZs) may be related to maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). The influence of left atrial (LA) contact areas (CoAs) on reentrant or rotor-like sources maintaining AF has not been investigated. Forty patients with persistent AF (PsAF) were analyzed. Three representative CoA regions in the LA (ascending aorta: anterior wall; descending aorta: left inferior pulmonary vein; and vertebrae: posterior wall) were visualized by enhanced CT. Using circular catheters, the LVZs (80% of the mean AF cycle length. A pivot was defined as the core of the localized circular activation. Anterior (39/40 patients, 98%), left pulmonary vein antrum (27/40, 68%), and posterior (19/40, 48%) CoAs were identified, and 80% (68/85) of those sites were overlapped by or close (<3 mm) to LVZs. Thirty-six (90%) patients demonstrated circular activation (3.1±1.7 sites/patients) along with significantly higher organized dominant frequencies (6.3 ± 0.5 Hz, regularity-index: 0.26 [0.23-0.41]) within the LA, and the average electrogram amplitude of those pivots was 0.30 mV (0.18-0.52). Of those sites, 55% (66/120) were located at or close to CoA regions. Catheter ablation including of LVZs neighboring CoAs terminated AF in 9 (23%) patients. External anatomical structures contacting the LA may be related to unique conduction properties in diseased myocardium necessary for PsAF maintenance. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Atrial fibrillation screening in pharmacies using an iPhone ECG: a qualitative review of implementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowres, Nicole; Krass, Ines; Neubeck, Lis; Redfern, Julie; McLachlan, Andrew J; Bennett, Alexandra A; Freedman, S Ben

    2015-12-01

    Atrial fibrillation guidelines advocate screening to identify undiagnosed atrial fibrillation. Community pharmacies may provide an opportunistic venue for such screening. To explore the experience of implementing an atrial fibrillation screening service from the pharmacist's perspective including: the process of study implementation; the perceived benefits; the barriers and enablers; and the challenges for future sustainability of atrial fibrillation screening within pharmacies. Setting Interviews were conducted face-to-face in the pharmacy or via telephone, according to pharmacist preference. The 'SEARCH-AF study' screened 1000 pharmacy customers aged ≥65 years using an iPhone electrocardiogram, identifying 1.5 % with undiagnosed atrial fibrillation. Nine pharmacists took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed in full and thematically analysed. Qualitative analysis of the experience of implementing an AF screening service from the pharmacist's perspective. Four broad themes relating to service provision were identified: (1) interest and engagement in atrial fibrillation screening by pharmacists, customers, and doctors with the novel, easy-to-use electrocardiogram technology serving as an incentive to undergo screening and an education tool for pharmacists to use with customers; (2) perceived benefits to the pharmacist including increased job satisfaction, improvement in customer relations and pharmacy profile by fostering enhanced customer care and the educational role of pharmacists; (3) implementation barriers including managing workflow, and enablers such as personal approaches for recruitment, and allocating time to discuss screening process and fears; and, (4) potential for sustainable future implementation including remuneration linked to government or pharmacy incentives, combined cardiovascular screening, and automating sections of risk-assessments using touch-screen technology. Atrial fibrillation screening in pharmacies is well

  8. Patient-Reported Outcomes for Quality of Life Assessment in Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotecha, Dipak; Ahmed, Amar; Calvert, Melanie; Lencioni, Mauro; Terwee, Caroline B; Lane, Deirdre A

    2016-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation is a large and growing burden across all types of healthcare. Both incidence and prevalence are expected to double in the next 20 years, with huge impact on hospital admissions, costs and patient quality of life. Patient wellbeing determines the management strategy for atrial fibrillation, including the use of rhythm control therapy and the clinical success of heart rate control. Hence, evaluation of quality of life is an emerging and important part of the assessment of patients with atrial fibrillation. Although a number of questionnaires to assess quality of life in atrial fibrillation are available, a comprehensive overview of their measurement properties is lacking. We performed a systematic review of the measurement properties of atrial fibrillation-specific health-related quality of life questionnaires. Methodological quality was assessed using the Consensus based Standards for selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist, with measurement properties rated for quality against optimal criteria and levels of evidence. We screened 2,216 articles, of which eight articles describing five questionnaires were eligible for inclusion: Atrial Fibrillation 6 (AF6), Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life (AFEQT), Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life Questionnaire (AFQLQ), Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life (AFQoL), and Quality of Life in Atrial Fibrillation (QLAF). Good reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability) was demonstrated for AF6, AFEQT, AFQLQ and AFQoL. Content, construct and criterion validity were positively rated only in AFEQT. Responsiveness was positively rated only in AFEQT, but with limited evidence. Overall, AFEQT showed strong positive evidence for 2 of 9 measurement properties, compared to one for AFQoL and none for the remaining questionnaires. Given the low ratings for many measurement properties, no single questionnaire can be recommended, although AFEQT performed strongest. Further

  9. Maze Procedures for Atrial Fibrillation, From History to Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kik, Charles; Bogers, Ad J J C

    2011-10-01

    Atrial fibrillation may result in significant symptoms, (systemic) thrombo-embolism, as well as tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy with cardiac failure, and consequently be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Nowadays symptomatic atrial fibrillation can be treated with catheter-based ablation, surgical ablation or hybrid approaches. In this setting a fairly large number of surgical approaches and procedures are described and being practised. It should be clear that the Cox-maze procedure resulted from building up evidence and experience in different steps, while some of the present surgical approaches and techniques are being based only on technical feasibility with limited experience, rather than on a process of consequent methodology. Some of the issues still under debate are whether or not the maze procedure can be limited to the left atrium or even to isolation of the pulmonary veins or that bi-atrial procedures are indicated, whether or not cardiopulmonary bypass is to be applied and which route of exposure facilitates an optimal result. In addition, maze procedures are not procedures guide by electrophysiological mapping. At least in theory not in all patients all lesions of the maze procedures are necessary. A history and aspects of current practise in surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation is presented.

  10. Atrial Fibrillation, Atrioventricular Blocks and Bundle Branch Blocks in Hemodialysis Patients

    OpenAIRE

    Mandic, Ante; Tomic, Monika; Petrov, Bozo; Romic, Zeljko

    2012-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation is one of the most frequent arrhythmias diagnosed in clinical practice and it is also relatively common in dialysis patients. Atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction disturbances are less investigated in hemodialysis patients and data about their prevalence are insufficient. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular blocks and bundle branch blocks in hemodialysis patients and to analyze different clinical ...

  11. Risk of atrial fibrillation among bisphosphonate users: a multicenter, population-based, Italian study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    L. Herrera (Lizbeth); I. Leal (Ingrid); F. Lapi (Francesco); M.J. Schuemie (Martijn); V. Arcoraci (Vincenzo); F. Cipriani (Francesco); E. Sessa (E.); A. Vaccheri (Alberto); C. Piccinni (C.); T. Staniscia (Tommaso); A. Vestri (Annarita); M. Di Bari (M.); G. Corrao (Giovanni); A. Zambon (A.); D Gregori (Dario); F. Carle (F.); M.C.J.M. Sturkenboom (Miriam); G. Mazzaglia (Giampiero); G. Trifirò (Gianluca)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractSummary: Bisphosphonate treatment is used to prevent bone fractures. A controversial association of bisphosphonate use and risk of atrial fibrillation has been reported. In our study, current alendronate users were associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation as compared with

  12. Fibrosis and electrophysiological characteristics of the atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation and structural heart disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brakel, T.J. van; Krieken, T. van der; Westra, S.W.; Laak, J.A.W.M. van der; Smeets, J.L.R.M.; Swieten, H.A. van

    2013-01-01

    PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the degree of fibrosis in atrial appendages of patients with and without atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing cardiac surgery. In addition, we hypothesized that areas of atrial fibrosis can be identified by electrogram fractionation and low voltage for

  13. The Complexity of the Patient Perspective of Living with Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høgh, Vibeke; Riahi, Sam; Delmar, Charlotte

    2017-01-01

    data on information related to the context of the patient’s daily life, family life and work life. The example provided in the article illustrates how the qualitative and quantitative information work as a synergy. Together, information gained from participant observations, on the challenge......The patients’ perspective is by nature complex. Investigating the patients’ perspective, which is important for the quality of care for patients living with atrial fibrillation, therefore calls for complex research processes. This article aims to illuminate the complexity of the patients......’ perspective of living with atrial fibrillation by combining qualitative and quantitative data sources and methods. Related to a one-year patient journey of living with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation it is here illustrated how scores from questionnaires can be explored by supporting the scores with qualitative...

  14. Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    De Backer, O; Arnous, S; Ihlemann, N

    2014-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. One of its most devastating complications is the development of thromboembolism leading to fatal or disabling stroke. Oral anticoagulation (OAC, warfarin) is the standard treatment for strok...

  15. Digoxin use and risk of mortality in hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Okin, Peter M; Hille, Darcy A; Wachtell, Kristian

    2015-01-01

    , diabetes, history of ischemic heart disease, stroke, or heart failure, baseline Cornell product, QRS duration, heart rate, serum glucose, creatinine and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and a propensity score for digoxin use entered as standard covariates, and for in-treatment heart rate, pulse...... patients with atrial fibrillation has not been examined. METHODS AND RESULTS: All-cause mortality was examined in relation to in-treatment digoxin use in 937 hypertensive patients with ECG left ventricular hypertrophy in atrial fibrillation at baseline (n = 134) or who developed atrial fibrillation during...... fibrillation, digoxin use is not associated with a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality after adjusting for other independent predictors of death and for the factors associated with the propensity to use digoxin in this population. These findings suggest that factors other than digoxin use may...

  16. SAFETY OF AMIODARONE USAGE IN PATIENTS WITH WOLFF-PARKINSON-WHITE SYNDROME AND ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. A. Kuzhel

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Amiodarone is one of the basic antiarrhytmic drugs for atrial fibrillation treatment. However application of amiodarone in patients with atrial fibrillation and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome can induce ventricular fibrillation. Amiodarone usage in these patients should be accompanied by readiness for performance of resuscitation. This is confirmed by clinical case presentation.

  17. IS RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE STILL THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN INDIA?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lokanath S

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND The past decade has witnessed an extraordinary growth in the knowledge regarding atrial fibrillation. It is a heterogeneous rhythm that appears with several conditions and crosses the path of almost all clinicians. It is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and the third leading cause of death due to cardiovascular diseases. The incidence of atrial fibrillation approximately doubles with each decade of adult life and ranges from 2 or 3 new cases per 1000 population per year between the ages of 55 and 64 years to 35 new cases per 1000 population per year between the ages of 85 and 94 years. Although, the vast majority of patients with atrial fibrillation are relatively asymptomatic, patients can have profoundly limiting symptoms. The initial presentation of atrial fibrillation maybe an embolic complication or exacerbation of heart failure, but most patients complain of palpitations, chest pain, dyspnoea, fatigue, lightheadedness or syncope. For patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation lasting many weeks, initial therapy maybe anticoagulation and rate control while the long-term goal is to restore sinus rhythm. When cardioversion is contemplated and the duration of atrial fibrillation is unknown or exceeds 48 hours, patients who do not require long-term anticoagulation may benefit from short-term anticoagulation. If rate control offers inadequate symptomatic relief, restoration of sinus rhythm becomes a clear long-term goal. Early cardioversion may be necessary, if atrial fibrillation causes hypotension or worsening heart failure. Experimental studies have explored the mechanisms of the onset and maintenance of the arrhythmia; drugs have been tailored to specific cardiac ion channels; non-pharmacologic therapies have been introduced that are designed to control or prevent atrial fibrillation; and data have emerged that demonstrate a genetic predisposition in some patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS It is a prospective

  18. Entropy measurements in paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cervigón, R; Moreno, J; Pérez-Villacastín, J; Reilly, R B; Millet, J; Castells, F

    2010-01-01

    Recent studies on atrial fibrillation (AF) have identified different activation patterns in paroxysmal and persistent AF. In this study, bipolar intra-atrial registers from 28 patients (14 paroxysmal AF and 14 persistent AF) were analyzed in order to find out regional differences in the organization in both types of arrhythmias. The organization of atrial electrical activity was assessed in terms of nonlinear parameters, such as entropy measurements. Results showed differences between the atrial chambers with a higher disorganization in the left atrium in paroxysmal AF patients and a more homogenous behavior along the atria in persistent AF patients

  19. INTRAOPERATIVE RADIOFREQUENCY AND CRYOABLATION FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN PATIENTS WITH VALVULAR HEART DISEASE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Maghamipour N. Safaie

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Patients with valvular heart disease and suffering atrial fibrillation of more than 12 months duration have a low probability of remaining in sinus rhythm after valve surgery alone. We performed intra-operative radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation as an alternative to surgical maze ІІІ procedure to create linear lesion lines for conversion of this arrhythmia to sinus rhythm. A total of 30 patients with valvular heart disease and chronic persistent atrial fibrillation underwent different combinations of valve surgery and concomitant maze procedure with radiofrequency or cryo probes. These patients aged 48.10 ± 9.84 years in radiofrequency ablation group and 51.10 ± 13.93 years in cryoablation group. Both atrial ablation with radiofrequency probes, needed 26.15 ± 3.67 min extra ischemic time and ablation by mean of cryo-probes needed an extra ischemic time of 29.62 ± 4.27 min. There was one in hospital death postoperatively because of respiratory failure but no other complication. 6 months after the operation, among 30 patients with both atrial ablations, 25 patients were in sinus rhythm, no patient had junctional rhythm and 5 patients had persistent atrial fibrillation. At 12 months follow up, freedom from atrial fibrillation was 85% in radiofrequency group and 80% in cryo group. Doppler echocardiography in these patients demonstrated atrial contractility in 70% of the patients. Intraoperative radiofrequency or cryo-ablation of both atriums are effective and less invasive alternatives for the original maze procedure to eliminate the atrial fibrillation, and can be done in patients with valvular heart disease without increasing the risk of operation.

  20. Worse stroke outcome in atrial fibrillation is explained by more severe hypoperfusion, infarct growth, and hemorrhagic transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Hans T H; Campbell, Bruce C V; Christensen, Soren; Desmond, Patricia M; De Silva, Deidre A; Parsons, Mark W; Churilov, Leonid; Lansberg, Maarten G; Mlynash, Michael; Olivot, Jean-Marc; Straka, Matus; Bammer, Roland; Albers, Gregory W; Donnan, Geoffrey A; Davis, Stephen M

    2015-06-01

    Atrial fibrillation is associated with greater baseline neurological impairment and worse outcomes following ischemic stroke. Previous studies suggest that greater volumes of more severe baseline hypoperfusion in patients with history of atrial fibrillation may explain this association. We further investigated this association by comparing patients with and without atrial fibrillation on initial examination following stroke using pooled multimodal magnetic resonance imaging and clinical data from the Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolytic Evaluation Trial and the Diffusion and Perfusion Imaging Evaluation for Understanding Stroke Evolution studies. Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolytic Evaluation Trial was a trial of 101 ischemic stroke patients randomized to intravenous tissue plasminogen activator or placebo, and Diffusion and Perfusion Imaging Evaluation for Understanding Stroke Evolution was a prospective cohort of 74 ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator at three to six hours following symptom onset. Patients underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging before treatment, at three to five days and three-months after stroke in Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolytic Evaluation Trial; before treatment, three to six hours after treatment and one-month after stroke in Diffusion and Perfusion Imaging Evaluation for Understanding Stroke Evolution. Patients were assessed with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and the modified Rankin scale before treatment and at three-months after stroke. Patients were categorized into definite atrial fibrillation (present on initial examination), probable atrial fibrillation (history but no atrial fibrillation on initial examination), and no atrial fibrillation. Perfusion data were reprocessed with automated magnetic resonance imaging analysis software (RAPID, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA). Hypoperfusion volumes were defined using time to maximum delays in two-second increments from >4 to

  1. Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure - Cause or Effect?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prabhu, Sandeep; Voskoboinik, Aleksandr; Kaye, David M; Kistler, Peter M

    2017-09-01

    There are emerging epidemics of atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure in most developed countries, with a significant health burden. Due to many shared pathophysiological mechanisms, which facilitate the maintenance of each condition, AF and heart failure co-exist in up to 30% of patients. In the circumstance where known structural causes of heart failure (such as myocardial infarction) are absent, patients presenting with both conditions present a unique challenge, particularly as the temporal relationship of each condition can often remain elusive from the clinical history. The question of whether the AF is driving, or significantly contributing to the left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, rather than merely a consequence of heart failure, has become ever more pertinent, especially as catheter ablation now offers a significant advancement over existing rhythm control strategies. This paper will review the inter-related physiological drivers of AF and heart failure before considering the implications from the outcomes of recent clinical trials in patients with AF and heart failure. Copyright © 2017 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Unexpected guest: Atrial fibrillation due to electrical shock

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet Zihni Bilik

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Cardiac arrhythmias due to electrical injuries are rare among emergency service admittances. A 35 year-old female patient was admitted to emergency service with palpitation after electrical injury as a result of contact with a domestic low-voltage source. Electrocardiography (ECG showed atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. Transthoracic echocardiography findings were normal. Atrial fibrillation spontaneously converted to normal sinus rhythm after rate limiting treatment with beta-blocker. The patient was discharged without any complication on the third day of hospitalization. Although cardiac arrhythmias rarely occur after electrical injury, cardiac monitoring is recommended for all patients with documented rhythm disorder, loss of consciousness, or abnormal ECG at admission.

  3. Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nair Suresh

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Once considered as nothing more than a nuisance after cardiac surgery, the importance of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF has been realized in the last decade, primarily because of the morbidity associated with the condition. Numerous causative factors have been described without any single factor being singled out as the cause of this complication. POAF has been associated with stroke, renal failure and congestive heart failure, although it is difficult to state whether POAF is directly responsible for these complications. Guidelines have been formulated for prevention of POAF. However, very few cardiothoracic centers follow any form of protocol to prevent POAF. Routine use of prophylaxis would subject all patients to the side effects of anti-arrhythmic drugs, while only a minority of the patients do actually develop this problem postoperatively. Withdrawal of beta blockers in the postoperative period has been implicated as one of the major causes of POAF. Amiodarone, calcium channel blockers and a variety of other pharmacological agents have been used for the prevention of POAF. Atrial pacing is a non-pharmacological measure which has gained popularity in the prevention of POAF. There is considerable controversy regarding whether rate control is superior to rhythm control in the treatment of established atrial fibrillation (AF. Amiodarone plays a central role in both rate control and rhythm control in postoperative AF. Newer drugs like dronedarone and ranazoline are likely to come into the market in the coming years.

  4. Pro-arrhythmogenic effects of atrial fibrillation-induced electrical remodelling: insights from the three-dimensional virtual human atria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colman, Michael A; Aslanidi, Oleg V; Kharche, Sanjay; Boyett, Mark R; Garratt, Clifford; Hancox, Jules C; Zhang, Henggui

    2013-09-01

    Chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with structural and electrical remodelling in the atria, which are associated with a high recurrence of AF. Through biophysically detailed computer modelling, this study investigated mechanisms by which AF-induced electrical remodelling promotes and perpetuates AF. A family of Courtemanche-Ramirez-Nattel variant models of human atrial cell action potentials (APs), taking into account of intrinsic atrial electrophysiological properties, was modified to incorporate various experimental data sets on AF-induced changes of major ionic channel currents (ICaL, IKur, Ito, IK1, IKs, INaCa) and on intracellular Ca(2+) handling. The single cell models for control and AF-remodelled conditions were incorporated into multicellular three-dimensional (3D) atrial tissue models. Effects of the AF-induced electrical remodelling were quantified as the changes of AP profile, AP duration (APD) and its dispersion across the atria, and the vulnerability of atrial tissue to the initiation of re-entry. The dynamic behaviour of re-entrant excitation waves in the 3D models was characterised. In our simulations, AF-induced electrical remodelling abbreviated atrial APD non-uniformly across the atria; this resulted in relatively short APDs co-existing with marked regional differences in the APD at junctions of the crista terminalis/pectinate muscle, pulmonary veins/left atrium. As a result, the measured tissue vulnerability to re-entry initiation at these tissue junctions was increased. The AF-induced electrical remodelling also stabilized and accelerated re-entrant excitation waves, leading to rapid and sustained re-entry. Under the AF-remodelled condition, re-entrant scroll waves in the 3D model degenerated into persistent and erratic wavelets, leading to fibrillation. In conclusion, realistic 3D atrial tissue models indicate that AF-induced electrical remodelling produces regionally heterogeneous and shortened APD; these respectively facilitate

  5. Mid-Term Results of Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Valvular Heart Disease Assesed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorenzo, Natalia; Mendez, Irene; Taibo, Mikel; Martinis, Gianfranco; Badia, Sara; Reyes, Guillermo; Aguilar, Rio

    2018-03-19

    Atrial fibrillation frequently affects patients with valvular heart disease. Ablation of atrial fibrillation during valvular surgery is an alternative for restoring sinus rhythm. This study aimed to evaluate mid-term results of successful atrial fibrillation surgical ablation during valvular heart disease surgery, to explore left atrium post-ablation mechanics and to identify predictors of recurrence. Fifty-three consecutive candidates were included. Eligibility criteria for ablation included persistent atrial fibrillation valvular heart disease surgery.

  6. Nebivolol in preventing atrial fibrillation following coronary surgery in patients over 60 years of age

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nevzat Erdil

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Postoperative atrial fibrillation is a common complication after cardiac surgery, with an incidence as high as 20-50%. Increased age is associated with a significant increase in postoperative atrial fibrillation risk. This common complication is associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of nebivolol in preventing atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass surgery in patients over 60 years of age. Methods: In this prospective randomized study, 200 patients who were candidates for elective coronary artery bypass surgery were divided into two groups. The first group was administered with nebivolol and the second group was administered with metoprolol. Treatment was initiated four days prior to surgery, and patients were monitored for atrial fibrillation until discharge. Forty-one patients recieved 50 mg metoprolol succinate daily, which was initiated minimum 4 days before surgery. Results: Demographic data were similar in both groups. The incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in both groups was similar, with no significant difference being identified [n=20 (20%; n=18 (18%, P=0.718; respectively]. There were not any mortality at both groups during study. Inotropic agent requirement at ICU was similar for both groups [n=12 (12%, n=18 (18%, P=0.32]. Conclusion: We compared the effectiveness of nebivolol and metoprolol in decreasing the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation, and determined that nebivolol was as effective as metoprolol in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation at patients. Nebivolol may be the drug of choice due to its effects, especially after elective coronary artery bypass surgery.

  7. High beat-to-beat blood pressure variability in atrial fibrillation compared to sinus rhythm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olbers, Joakim; Gille, Adam; Ljungman, Petter; Rosenqvist, Mårten; Östergren, Jan; Witt, Nils

    2018-02-07

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, not entirely explained by thromboembolism. The underlying mechanisms for this association are largely unknown. Similarly, high blood pressure (BP) increases the risk for cardiovascular events. Despite this the interplay between AF and BP is insufficiently studied. The purpose of this study was to examine and quantify the beat-to-beat blood pressure variability in patients with AF in comparison to a control group of patients with sinus rhythm. We studied 33 patients - 21 in atrial fibrillation and 12 in sinus rhythm - undergoing routine coronary angiography. Invasive blood pressure was recorded at three locations: radial artery, brachial artery and ascending aorta. Blood pressure variability, defined as average beat-to-beat blood pressure difference, was calculated for systolic and diastolic blood pressure at each site. We observed a significant difference (p blood pressure variability between the atrial fibrillation and sinus rhythm groups at all locations. Systolic blood pressure variability roughly doubled in the atrial fibrillation group compared to the sinus rhythm group (4.9 and 2.4 mmHg respectively). Diastolic beat-to-beat blood pressure variability was approximately 6 times as high in the atrial fibrillation group compared to the sinus rhythm group (7.5 and 1.2 mmHg respectively). No significant difference in blood pressure variability was seen between measurement locations. Beat-to-beat blood pressure variability in patients with atrial fibrillation was substantially higher than in patients with sinus rhythm. Hemodynamic effects of this beat-to-beat variation in blood pressure may negatively affect vascular structure and function, which may contribute to the increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality seen in patients with atrial fibrillation.

  8. Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: a multi-cohort study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kivimäki, Mika; Nyberg, Solja T.; Batty, G. David; Kawachi, Ichiro; Jokela, Markus; Alfredsson, Lars; Bjorner, Jakob B.; Borritz, Marianne; Burr, Hermann; Dragano, Nico; Fransson, Eleonor I.; Heikkilä, Katriina; Knutsson, Anders; Koskenvuo, Markku; Kumari, Meena; Madsen, Ida E.H.; Nielsen, Martin L.; Nordin, Maria; Oksanen, Tuula; Pejtersen, Jan H.; Pentti, Jaana; Rugulies, Reiner; Salo, Paula; Shipley, Martin J.; Suominen, Sakari; Theorell, Töres; Vahtera, Jussi; Westerholm, Peter; Westerlund, Hugo; Steptoe, Andrew; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Hamer, Mark; Ferrie, Jane E.; Virtanen, Marianna; Tabak, Adam G.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Aims Studies suggest that people who work long hours are at increased risk of stroke, but the association of long working hours with atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a risk factor for stroke, is unknown. We examined the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals working long hours (≥55 per week) and those working standard 35–40 h/week. Methods and results In this prospective multi-cohort study from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) Consortium, the study population was 85 494 working men and women (mean age 43.4 years) with no recorded atrial fibrillation. Working hours were assessed at study baseline (1991–2004). Mean follow-up for incident atrial fibrillation was 10 years and cases were defined using data on electrocardiograms, hospital records, drug reimbursement registers, and death certificates. We identified 1061 new cases of atrial fibrillation (10-year cumulative incidence 12.4 per 1000). After adjustment for age, sex and socioeconomic status, individuals working long hours had a 1.4-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with those working standard hours (hazard ratio = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.13–1.80, P = 0.003). There was no significant heterogeneity between the cohort-specific effect estimates (I2 = 0%, P = 0.66) and the finding remained after excluding participants with coronary heart disease or stroke at baseline or during the follow-up (N = 2006, hazard ratio = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.05–1.76, P = 0.0180). Adjustment for potential confounding factors, such as obesity, risky alcohol use and high blood pressure, had little impact on this association. Conclusion Individuals who worked long hours were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation than those working standard hours. PMID:28911189

  9. A randomized study of the effects of exercise training on patients with atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Osbak, Philip Samuel; Mourier, Malene; Kjaer, Andreas

    2011-01-01

    Exercise training is beneficial in ischemic and congestive heart disease. However, the effect on atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown.......Exercise training is beneficial in ischemic and congestive heart disease. However, the effect on atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown....

  10. [Effect of benazepril on atrial cytoskeleton remodeling in the canine atrial fibrillation models].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Li; Qu, Xiu-Fen; Yu, Yang; Bai, Bing; Huang, Yong-Lin

    2009-10-20

    To investigate the effect of benazepril on atrial cytoskeleton remodeling in atrial fibrillation (AF) canines induced by chronic rapid atrial pacing (RAP). Twenty canines were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) Sham-operated group without RAP; (2) AF group: AF established by RAP at 600 beats per minute for 6 weeks; (3) Benazepril group: benazepril was dosed from 1 week pre-pacing to 6 weeks post-pacing. The diameter of atrial cardiomyocyte was measured, collagen volume fraction (CVF) analyzed by Masson staining and the expression and distribution of desmin were assayed by immunohistochemistry. RT-PCR method was used to semi-quantify the mRNA expression of beta-tubulin and desmin. The diameter of atrial cardiomyocyte increased in AF group [LA:(27.9 +/- 3.8) microm; RA: (26.8 +/- 3.2) microm] and benazepril group[LA: (25.1 +/- 3.4) microm; RA: (25.2 +/- 3.5) microm] than sham-operated group [LA: (19.6 +/- 2.9) microm; RA: (18.7 +/- 2.6) microm] (P benazepril group than AF group [LA: (11.3 +/- 0.8)% vs (16.9 +/- 1.1)%, RA: (10.9 +/- 0.8)% vs (15.7 +/- 2.3)%, P benazepril group than AF group (P benazepril group than AF group (LA:0.8 +/- 0.4 vs 1.0 +/- 0.3, 0.7 +/- 0.3 vs 0.9 +/- 0.4; RA:0.7 +/- 0.3 vs 1.0 +/- 0.6, 0.7 +/- 0.3 vs 1.1 +/- 0.3, P Benazepril can favorably improve atrial cytoskeleton remodeling in the canine atrial fibrillation model.

  11. Atrial Fibrillation During an Exploration Class Mission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipsett, Mark; Hamilton, Douglas; Lemery, Jay; Polk, James

    2011-01-01

    This slide presentation reviews a possible scenario of an astronaut having Atrial Fibrillation during a Mars Mission. In the case review the presentation asks several questions about the alternatives for treatment, medications and the ramifications of the decisions.

  12. Left atrial low-voltage areas predict atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masuda, Masaharu; Fujita, Masashi; Iida, Osamu; Okamoto, Shin; Ishihara, Takayuki; Nanto, Kiyonori; Kanda, Takashi; Tsujimura, Takuya; Matsuda, Yasuhiro; Okuno, Shota; Ohashi, Takuya; Tsuji, Aki; Mano, Toshiaki

    2018-04-15

    Association between the presence of left atrial low-voltage areas and atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has been shown mainly in persistent AF patients. We sought to compare the AF recurrence rate in paroxysmal AF patients with and without left atrial low-voltage areas. This prospective observational study included 147 consecutive patients undergoing initial ablation for paroxysmal AF. Voltage mapping was performed after PVI during sinus rhythm, and low-voltage areas were defined as regions where bipolar peak-to-peak voltage was low-voltage areas after PVI were observed in 22 (15%) patients. Patients with low-voltage areas were significantly older (72±6 vs. 66±10, plow-voltage areas than without (36% vs. 6%, pLow-voltage areas were independently associated with AF recurrence even after adjustment for the other related factors (Hazard ratio, 5.89; 95% confidence interval, 2.16 to 16.0, p=0.001). The presence of left atrial low-voltage areas after PVI predicts AF recurrence in patients with paroxysmal AF as well as in patients with persistent AF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Long-Term Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Risk of Incident Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Monrad, Maria; Sajadieh, Ahmad; Christensen, Jeppe Schultz

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia and associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The few studies conducted on short-term effects of air pollution on episodes of atrial fibrillation indicates a positive association, though not consistently...

  14. Genetic aspects of lone atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreasen, Laura; Nielsen, Jonas B; Olesen, Morten S

    2015-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. A subgroup of patients presents with AF without traditional risk factors and is diagnosed before the age of 60 years. Such patients are commonly referred as having "lone AF" and comprise 10-20% of all cases. A number of studies have...

  15. Dronedarone in high-risk permanent atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Connolly, Stuart J; Camm, A John; Halperin, Jonathan L

    2011-01-01

    Dronedarone restores sinus rhythm and reduces hospitalization or death in intermittent atrial fibrillation. It also lowers heart rate and blood pressure and has antiadrenergic and potential ventricular antiarrhythmic effects. We hypothesized that dronedarone would reduce major vascular events in ...

  16. Vernakalant hydrochloride for the rapid conversion of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kowey, Peter R; Dorian, Paul; Mitchell, L Brent

    2009-01-01

    Postoperative atrial arrhythmias are common and are associated with considerable morbidity. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vernakalant for the conversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) after cardiac surgery....

  17. Atrial Fibrillation in Embolic Stroke: Anticoagulant Therapy at UNTH ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: The decision to commence anticoagulation in a patient with embolic stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF) is often a difficult one for many clinicians. The result can have significant impact on the patient. This study was therefore undertaken to review the use of anticoagulation in embolic stroke in the setting of atrial ...

  18. A new therapeutic strategy for electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Luca, I; Sorino, M; Del Salvatore, B; de Luca, L

    2001-11-01

    The conventional approach to cardioversion of atrial fibrillation includes a period of anticoagulation with oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) extending from 3 weeks precardioversion to 4 weeks postcardioversion. The protocol of rapid anticoagulation (such as that of the ACUTE study) consists of a precardioversion transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) followed by OAT for 4 weeks. In the last few years low-molecular-weight heparins have established themselves as a safe and efficacious alternative to traditional antithrombotic therapies. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that the exclusion of thrombi by precardioversion TEE together with the exclusion of atrial stunning by a second TEE performed after 1 week, to date not suggested in the literature, could reduce to 7 days the period of pericardioversion anticoagulation. This therapy would be carried out using low-molecular-weight heparins with no need for biological monitoring and with the possibility of self-administration. We have studied 57 consecutive patients who had atrial fibrillation or flutter with a history of atrial fibrillation lasting > 48 hours. All patients received enoxaparin at a dosage of 100 IU antiXa/kg twice daily before undergoing multiplane TEE. Previous informed consent and ethical committee authorization had been obtained. Twenty-four hours following TEE, in the absence of thrombi and/or spontaneous moderate/severe echocontrast in the atrial chambers, the patients underwent electrical cardioversion and were discharged within 24 hours of sinus rhythm restoration. These patients were prescribed enoxaparin at the indicated dosage twice daily until TEE, performed in an outpatients setting 7 days following cardioversion. In the absence of thrombi and/or atrial and/or left atrial appendage stunning, OAT was terminated. Enoxaparin was associated with OAT for the following 3 weeks if any of the following signs of stunning were present: A wave inferior to the normal value for age at transmitral

  19. Impact of dronedarone on hospitalization burden in patients with atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Torp-Pedersen, Christian; Crijns, Harry J G M; Gaudin, Christophe

    2011-01-01

    Cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization is a predictor of CV mortality and has a negative impact on patients' quality of life. The primary endpoint of A placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-arm Trial to assess the efficacy of dronedarone 400 mg bid for the prevention of cardiovascular...... Hospitalization or death from any cause in patiENTs with Atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (ATHENA), a composite of first CV hospitalization or death from any cause, was significantly reduced by dronedarone. This post hoc analysis evaluated the secondary endpoint of CV hospitalization and the clinical benefit...... of dronedarone on the number and duration of CV hospitalizations in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)....

  20. Prevention of atrial fibrillation by Renin-Angiotensin system inhibition a meta-analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schneider, Markus; Hua, Tsushung A; Böhm, Michael

    2010-01-01

    The authors reviewed published clinical trial data on the effects of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition for the prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF), aiming to define when RAS inhibition is most effective.......The authors reviewed published clinical trial data on the effects of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition for the prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF), aiming to define when RAS inhibition is most effective....

  1. Acute hospital, community, and indirect costs of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation: population-based study.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hannon, Niamh

    2014-10-30

    No economic data from population-based studies exist on acute or late hospital, community, and indirect costs of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation (AF-stroke). Such data are essential for policy development, service planning, and cost-effectiveness analysis of new therapeutic agents.

  2. Impaired atrial electromechanical function and atrial fibrillation promotion in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Huaying; Liu, Changle; Li, Jian; Zhou, Changyu; Cheng, Lijun; Liu, Tong; Li, Guangping

    2013-01-01

    Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the underlying mechanisms are still not clearly elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the atrial electromechanical function, atrial electrophysiological changes and AF inducibility in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. In 8 alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits and 8 controls, we evaluated atrial electromechanical function by tissue Doppler imaging. Isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts were prepared to measure atrial refractory effective period (AERP) and its dispersion (AERPD), interatrial conduction time (IACT) and vulnerability to AF. Atrial interstitial fibrosis was evaluated by Sirius-Red staining. Compared with controls, left atrial lateral wall Pa'-start interval (Pastart) and right atrial wall Pastart were increased in diabetic rabbits. AERPD was increased and IACT was prolonged in diabetic rabbits. Inducibility of AF in diabetic group was significant higher than controls (6/8 vs. 1/8, p TEMA); left atrial lateral wall Papeak and TEMA, left atrial posterior wall TEMA, and IACT were correlated with atrial areas of fibrosis. Atrial electromechanical function is impaired in diabetic rabbits, and is associated with atrial fibrosis and interatrial electrical conduction delay.

  3. Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene 2350 G/A polymorphism and susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Hui Jiang

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The angiotensin-converting enzyme gene is one of the most studied candidate genes related to atrial fibrillation. Among the polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene, the 2350 G/A polymorphism (rs4343 is known to have the most significant effects on the plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme concentration. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A polymorphism with atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: A total of 169 hypertensive patients were eligible for this study. Patients with atrial fibrillation (n = 75 were allocated to the atrial fibrillation group, and 94 subjects without atrial fibrillation were allocated to the control group. The PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was used to assess the genotype frequencies. RESULTS: The distributions of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A genotypes (GG, GA, and AA, respectively were 40.43%, 41.49%, and 18.08% in the controls and 18.67%, 46.67%, and 34.66% in the atrial fibrillation subjects (p = 0.037. The frequency of the A allele in the atrial fibrillation group was significantly greater than in the control group (58.00% vs. 38.83%, p = 0.0007. Compared with the wild-type GG genotype, the GA and AA genotypes had an increased risk for atrial fibrillation. Additionally, atrial fibrillation patients with the AA genotype had greater left atrial dimensions than the patients with the GG or GA genotypes (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in this study indicate that the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A polymorphism is associated with atrial fibrillation and that the A allele shows an increased risk for atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension.

  4. Spontaneous conversion of first onset atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindberg, Søren Østergaard; Hansen, Sidsel; Nielsen, Tonny

    2011-01-01

    Background  We studied all patients admitted to hospital with first onset atrial fibrillation (AF) to determine the probability of spontaneous conversion to sinus rhythm and to identify factors predictive of such a conversion. Methods and Results  We retrospectively reviewed charts of 438...

  5. [Left atrial electric isolation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation secondary to rheumatic valvular disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graffigna, A; Pagani, F; Minzioni, G; Salerno, J; Viganò, M

    1992-08-01

    Surgical isolation of the left atrium was performed for the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation secondary to valvular disease in 100 patients who underwent valve surgery. From May 1989 to September 1991, 62 patients underwent mitral valve surgery (Group I), 19 underwent mitral valve surgery and DeVega tricuspid annuloplasty (Group II), 15 underwent mitral and aortic surgery (Group III), and 4 patients underwent mitral and aortic surgery and DeVega tricuspid annuloplasty (Group IV). Left atrial isolation was performed prolonging the usual left paraseptal atriotomy towards the left fibrous trigone anteriorly, and the postero-medial commissure posteriorly. The incision was conducted a few millimeters apart from the mitral valve annulus, and cryolesion were placed at the edges to ensure complete electrophysiological isolation of the left atrium. Operative mortality accounted for 3 cases (3%). In 79 patients (81.4%) sinus rhythm recovered and persisted until discharge from the hospital. No differences were found between the groups (Group I: 80.7%; Group II: 68.5%; Group III 86.7%, Group IV 75% - p = N.S.). Three cases of late mortality (3.1%) were registered. long-term results showed persistence of SR in 71% of Group I, 61.2% of Group II, 85.8% of Group III, and 100% of Group IV. The unique risk factor for late recurrency of atrial fibrillation was found to be a duration of preoperative AF longer than 6 months. Due to the high success rate in recovering the sinus rhythm, we suggest left atrial isolation in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation undergoing valvular surgery.

  6. Angiotensinogen and ACE gene polymorphisms and risk of atrial fibrillation in the general population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravn, Lasse Steen; Benn, Marianne; Nordestgaard, Børge

    2008-01-01

    Objectives The renin-angiotensin system may play a role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation, and renin-angiotensin system blockers reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation. We hypothesized that polymorphisms in the angiotensinogen and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genes encoding proteins...... in this system predict risk of atrial fibrillation. Methods and results We genotyped 9235 individuals from the Danish general population, The Copenhagen City Heart Study, for the a-20c, g-6a, T174M, and M235T polymorphisms in the angiotensinogen gene and the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the ACE gene...

  7. Improved late survival and disability after stroke with therapeutic anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation: a population study.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hannon, Niamh

    2011-09-01

    Although therapeutic anticoagulation improves early (within 1 month) outcomes after ischemic stroke in hospital-admitted patients with atrial fibrillation, no information exists on late outcomes in unselected population-based studies, including patients with all stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic).

  8. Cetirizine-Induced atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Altuğ Osken

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation (AF is the most common observed arrhythmia in clinical practice. In the literature, AF events associated with drug induction are available. Cetirizine is a second-generation histamine antagonist used in the treatment of allergies, angioedema, and urticaria. We wish to present an atypical case who took cetirizine medication for relieving symptoms of upper tract respiratory system infection, experienced rapid ventricular response AF and treated successfully. To best of our knowledge, this is the first case of cetirizine-induced AF.

  9. Increased susceptibility to atrial fibrillation secondary to atrial fibrosis in transgenic goats expressing transforming growth factor - B1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in people with significant morbidity and mortality. There is a strong association between atrial fibrosis and AF. Transforming growth factor B1 (TGF-B1) is an essential mediator of atrial fibrosis in animal models and human pat...

  10. Non-valvular atrial fibrillation: impact of apixaban on patient outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ioannou A

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Adam Ioannou,1 Irene Tsappa,2 Sofia Metaxa,3 Constantinos G Missouris2,3 1Cardiology Department, Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; 2Cardiology Department, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus; 3Cardiology Department, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Abstract: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia worldwide, and carries a significantly increased risk of thromboembolic stroke. Initially, vitamin K antagonists were used as stroke prophylaxis; but more recently, a group of drugs known as novel oral anticoagulants have been developed. Apixaban belongs to this group of drugs, and is a factor Xa inhibitor that has emerged as a popular pharmacological agent worldwide. In this review, we will provide an overview of the pivotal trials in the development of apixaban, while also critically evaluating the new emerging real-world data, and discussing the effectiveness, safety, economic viability and future prospects of apixaban and how it impacts on patient outcomes in those with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Keywords: apixaban, atrial fibrillation, warfarin, stroke, bleeding

  11. Left atrial appendage occlusion for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lip, Gregory Y.H.; Dagres, Nikolaos; Proclemer, Alessandro

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this EP wire survey was to assess clinical practice in relation to the use of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) devices for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) among members of the European Heart Rhythm Association research network. The average number of performed LA...... are most often performed by interventional cardiologists. Experience varied widely, and this was reflected in the wide range of thromboembolic and procedural (tamponade, bleeding) complications reported by the respondents to this EP wire survey....

  12. Effect of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction on left atrial appendage function and thrombotic potential in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirçelik, Muhammed Bora; Çetin, Mustafa; Çiçekcioğlu, Hülya; Uçar, Özgül; Duran, Mustafa

    2014-05-01

    We aimed to investigate effects of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction on left atrial appendage functions, spontaneous echo contrast and thrombus formation in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. In 58 patients with chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrilation and preserved left ventricular systolic function, left atrial appendage functions, left atrial spontaneous echo contrast grading and left ventricular diastolic functions were evaluated using transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiogram. Patients divided in two groups: Group D (n=30): Patients with diastolic dysfunction, Group N (n=28): Patients without diastolic dysfunction. Categorical variables in two groups were evaluated with Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact test. The significance of the lineer correlation between the degree of spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) and clinical measurements was evaluated with Spearman's correlation analysis. Peak pulmonary vein D velocity of the Group D was significantly higher than the Group N (p=0.006). However, left atrial appendage emptying velocity, left atrial appendage lateral wall velocity, peak pulmonary vein S, pulmonary vein S/D ratio were found to be significantly lower in Group D (p=0.028, patrial appendage emptying, filling, pulmonary vein S/D levels and lateral wall velocities respectively (r=-0.438, r=-0.328, r=-0.233, r=-0.447). Left atrial appendage emptying, filling, pulmonary vein S/D levels and lateral wall velocities were significantly lower in SEC 2-3-4 than SEC 1 (p=0.003, p=0.029, patrial fibrillation and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, left atrial appendage functions are decreased in patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction may constitute a potential risk for formation of thrombus and stroke.

  13. J-shaped association between QTc interval duration and the risk of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jonas Bille; Graff, Claus; Pietersen, Adrian

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate whether the heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval on the electrocardiogram (ECG) is associated with the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF).......The aim of this study was to investigate whether the heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval on the electrocardiogram (ECG) is associated with the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF)....

  14. Long-term results of the corridor operation for atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hemel, N. M.; Defauw, J. J.; Kingma, J. H.; Jaarsma, W.; Vermeulen, F. E.; de Bakker, J. M.; Guiraudon, G. M.

    1994-01-01

    To investigate the long-term results of the corridor operation in the treatment of symptomatic atrial fibrillation refractory to drug treatment. The corridor operation is designed to isolate from the left and right atrium a conduit of atrial tissue connecting the sinus node area with the

  15. An "account" of digitalis and atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijler, F.L.

    This review deals with the mechanisms by which digitalis exerts its "opium-Iike" action on the ventricular rate in patients with atrial fibrillation. To understand the effect of digitalis on ventricular rate and rhythm, it is essential to learn more about the basic electrophysiologic

  16. Anatomic relationship between left coronary artery and left atrium in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anselmino, Matteo; Torri, Federica; Ferraris, Federico; Calò, Leonardo; Castagno, Davide; Gili, Sebastiano; Rovera, Chiara; Giustetto, Carla; Gaita, Fiorenzo

    2017-07-01

    Atrial fibrillation transcatheter ablation (TCA) is, within available atrial fibrillation rhythm control strategies, one of the most effective. To potentially improve ablation outcome in case of recurrent atrial fibrillation after a first procedure or in presence of structural myocardial disease, isolation of the pulmonary veins may be associated with extensive lesions within the left atrium. To avoid rare, but potentially life-threatening, complications, thorough knowledge and assessment of left atrium anatomy and its relation to structures in close proximity are, therefore, mandatory. Aim of the present study is to describe, by cardiac computed tomography, the anatomic relationship between aortic root, left coronary artery and left atrium in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation TCA. The cardiac computed tomography scan of 21 patients affected by atrial fibrillation was elaborated to segment left atrium, aortic root and left coronary artery from the surrounding structures and the following distances measured: left atrium and aortic root; left atrium roof and aortic root; left main coronary artery and left atrium; circumflex artery and left atrium appendage; and circumflex artery and mitral valve annulus. Above all, the median distance between left atrium and aortic root (1.9, 1.5-2.1 mm), and between circumflex artery and left atrium appendage ostium (3.0, 2.1-3.4 mm) were minimal (≤3 mm). None of measured distances significantly varied between patients presenting paroxysmal versus persistent atrial fibrillation. The anatomic relationship between left atrium and coronary arteries is extremely relevant when performing atrial fibrillation TCA by extensive lesions. Therefore, at least in the latter case, preablation imaging should be recommended to avoid rare, but potentially life-threatening, complications with the aim of an as well tolerated as possible procedure.

  17. Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: a multi-cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kivimäki, Mika; Nyberg, Solja T; Batty, G David; Kawachi, Ichiro; Jokela, Markus; Alfredsson, Lars; Bjorner, Jakob B; Borritz, Marianne; Burr, Hermann; Dragano, Nico; Fransson, Eleonor I; Heikkilä, Katriina; Knutsson, Anders; Koskenvuo, Markku; Kumari, Meena; Madsen, Ida E H; Nielsen, Martin L; Nordin, Maria; Oksanen, Tuula; Pejtersen, Jan H; Pentti, Jaana; Rugulies, Reiner; Salo, Paula; Shipley, Martin J; Suominen, Sakari; Theorell, Töres; Vahtera, Jussi; Westerholm, Peter; Westerlund, Hugo; Steptoe, Andrew; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Hamer, Mark; Ferrie, Jane E; Virtanen, Marianna; Tabak, Adam G

    2017-09-07

    Studies suggest that people who work long hours are at increased risk of stroke, but the association of long working hours with atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a risk factor for stroke, is unknown. We examined the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals working long hours (≥55 per week) and those working standard 35-40 h/week. In this prospective multi-cohort study from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) Consortium, the study population was 85 494 working men and women (mean age 43.4 years) with no recorded atrial fibrillation. Working hours were assessed at study baseline (1991-2004). Mean follow-up for incident atrial fibrillation was 10 years and cases were defined using data on electrocardiograms, hospital records, drug reimbursement registers, and death certificates. We identified 1061 new cases of atrial fibrillation (10-year cumulative incidence 12.4 per 1000). After adjustment for age, sex and socioeconomic status, individuals working long hours had a 1.4-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with those working standard hours (hazard ratio = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.13-1.80, P = 0.003). There was no significant heterogeneity between the cohort-specific effect estimates (I2 = 0%, P = 0.66) and the finding remained after excluding participants with coronary heart disease or stroke at baseline or during the follow-up (N = 2006, hazard ratio = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.05-1.76, P = 0.0180). Adjustment for potential confounding factors, such as obesity, risky alcohol use and high blood pressure, had little impact on this association. Individuals who worked long hours were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation than those working standard hours. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.

  18. Vernakalant hydrochloride for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozlowski, Dariusz; Budrejko, Szymon; Lip, Gregory Y H; Mikhailidis, Dimitri P; Rysz, Jacek; Raczak, Grzegorz; Banach, Maciej

    2009-12-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Rhythm control strategy for AF is limited by drug toxicity and side effects, and recent trials have shown that this strategy is not superior to a rate control one. New antiarrhythmic drugs, free of undesired effects, would enhance rhythm control, with the possibility of sinus rhythm restoration and maintenance. A promising find in the search for new antiarrhythmic therapies is atrial-tissue specific ion channels. The findings that the ultrarapid delayed rectifier (I(Kur)) and the inwardly rectifying, acetylcholine-regulated current (I(K-Ach)) exist in atrial but not ventricular tissue increase the probability that atrioselective drugs without ventricular proarrhythmic toxicity can be developed for treatment of patients with AF. There are also other potential targets for atrial-selective therapy: transient outward current (I(to)), rapidly and slowly activating delayed rectifier currents (I(Kr) and I(Ks)), atrial sodium current (I(Na)) and atrially expressed connexins. New drugs under development with promising atrial-selectivity include: tertiapin, NIP-142, NIP-141, JTV-519, AVE0118, AVE1231, DPO-1, AZD7009 and many others. Among such new agents, vernakalant hydrochloride is currently in an advanced phase of development and has already been evaluated in clinical trials. In this overview, we describe the history and current state of developmental process of the drug, as well as its mechanism of action and influence on electrophysiological parameters. Vernakalant seems to be effective in terminating recent-onset AF, but is not efficacious in long-lasting AF and atrial flutter. The drug may be relatively free of proarrhythmic effects, and exerts a protective effect on ventricular tissue and ventricular repolarization. It is expected that the intravenous formulation will soon be approved for the pharmacological termination of recent-onset AF.

  19. Psoriasis increases risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Upala, Sikarin; Shahnawaz, Afeefa; Sanguankeo, Anawin

    2017-08-01

    Psoriasis is a common chronic immune-mediated dermatological disease that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between psoriasis and atrial fibrillation from prospective observational studies. A comprehensive search of the databases of the MEDLINE and EMBASE was performed from inception through November 2015. The inclusion criterion was the prospective observational study that assessed the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation in adults with psoriasis. Outcome was the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of atrial fibrillation comparison between patients with psoriasis and controls. Pooled HR and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model. The initial search yielded 176 articles. Fifteen articles underwent full-length review and data were extracted from 4 observational studies. Incidence of atrial fibrillation was ascertained by cardiologist-reviewed electrocardiograms. There was a significant increased risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with psoriasis compared to controls with a pooled HR 1.42 (95%CI 1.22-1.65). Our meta-analysis of prospective studies demonstrated that patients with psoriasis have increased risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation. Future interventional studies addressing the impact of psoriasis treatment and prevention of atrial fibrillation should be performed.

  20. P-wave characteristics on routine preoperative electrocardiogram improve prediction of new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation in cardiac surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Jim K; Lobato, Robert L; Pinesett, Andre; Maxwell, Bryan G; Mora-Mangano, Christina T; Perez, Marco V

    2014-12-01

    To test the hypothesis that including preoperative electrocardiogram (ECG) characteristics with clinical variables significantly improves the new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation prediction model. Retrospective analysis. Single-center university hospital. Five hundred twenty-six patients, ≥ 18 years of age, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement/repair, or a combination of valve surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. Retrospective review of medical records. Baseline characteristics and cardiopulmonary bypass times were collected. Digitally-measured timing and voltages from preoperative electrocardiograms were extracted. Postoperative atrial fibrillation was defined as atrial fibrillation requiring therapeutic intervention. Two hundred eight (39.5%) patients developed postoperative atrial fibrillation. Clinical predictors were age, ejection fractionelectrocardiogram variables to the prediction model with only clinical predictors significantly improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, from 0.71 to 0.78 (p<0.01). Overall net reclassification improvement was 0.059 (p = 0.09). Among those who developed postoperative atrial fibrillation, the net reclassification improvement was 0.063 (p = 0.03). Several p-wave characteristics are independently associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation. Addition of these parameters improves the postoperative atrial fibrillation prediction model. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. HALT & REVERSE: Hsf1 activators lower cardiomyocyt damage; towards a novel approach to REVERSE atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanters, Eva A H; van Marion, Denise M S; Kik, Charles; Steen, Herman; Bogers, Ad J J C; Allessie, Maurits A; Brundel, Bianca J J M; de Groot, Natasja M S

    2015-11-05

    Atrial fibrillation is a progressive arrhythmia, the exact mechanism underlying the progressive nature of recurrent AF episodes is still unknown. Recently, it was found that key players of the protein quality control system of the cardiomyocyte, i.e. Heat Shock Proteins, protect against atrial fibrillation progression by attenuating atrial electrical and structural remodeling (electropathology). HALT & REVERSE aims to investigate the correlation between electropathology, as defined by endo- or epicardial mapping, Heat Shock Protein levels and development or recurrence of atrial fibrillation following pulmonary vein isolation, or electrical cardioversion or cardiothoracic surgery. This study is a prospective observational study. Three separate study groups are defined: (1) cardiothoracic surgery, (2) pulmonary vein isolation and (3) electrical cardioversion. An intra-operative high-resolution epicardial (group 1) or endocardial (group 2) mapping procedure of the atria is performed to study atrial electropathology. Blood samples for Heat Shock Protein determination are obtained at baseline and during the follow-up period at 3 months (group 2), 6 months (groups 1 and 2) and 1 year (group 1 and 2). Tissue samples of the right and left atrial appendages in patients in group 1 are analysed for Heat Shock Protein levels and for tissue characteristics. Early post procedural atrial fibrillation is detected by continuous rhythm monitoring, whereas late post procedural atrial fibrillation is documented by either electrocardiogram or 24-h Holter registration. HALT & REVERSE aims to identify the correlation between Heat Shock Protein levels and degree of electropathology. The study outcome will contribute to novel diagnostic tools for the early recognition of clinical atrial fibrillation. Rotterdam Medical Ethical Committee MEC-2014-393, Dutch Trial Registration NTR4658.

  2. Study of correlation between polymorphism of angiotensin II-1 receptor gene A1166 genotype and complications in atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yueping; Gong Wuxing; Shi Li

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the effect of genetic polymorphism on atrial fibrillation. Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-restrictive fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) was used to identify and compare the genotype of the location of AT1R gene 1166, and color echo-ultrasound was performed with logistic regression used to analyse the independent risk of various genotypes for atrial fibrillation in 121 patients with atrial fibrillation and 100 controls. Results: (1) Frequency of genotype AC + CC, iso-gene C in atrial fibrillation group was higher than that in control group (P=0.017, 0.013), the risk ratio in patients with genotype AC + CC to develop atrial fibrillation was 3.657 compared with genotype AA (95% CI:1.181∼11.322), and genotype difference as well as systolic pressure were involved in occurrence of overall atrial fibrillation. The OR to develop atrial fibrillation in patients with genotype AC + CC was 4.132 compared with genotype AA (95% CI:1.263∼13.513). (2) There were no significant differences of clinical manifestation (heart failure, cerebral embolism) or ultrasonic parameters among patients with different genotypes (AA vs AC + CC)(P>0.05). Conclusion: People carrying iso-gene C in AT1R gene 1166 were more liable to develop atrial fibrillation, but there were no correlationship with development of complications. (authors)

  3. Gender Differences in Antithrombotic Treatment for Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mazurek, Michał; Huisman, Menno V; Rothman, Kenneth J

    2018-01-01

    was -0.5% (95% CI, -1.8%, 0.8%). VKAs were prescribed to 32.8% and 31.9% (NOACs 46.8% and 48.3%) of women and men, respectively. No confounder for the association between gender and anticoagulant prescription was identified. Between-gender differences in anticoagulant use (lower use in women compared......AIMS: Data on gender differences in oral anticoagulation for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation are conflicting, largely limited to regional reports and Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) use. We aimed to analyze gender-specific anticoagulant prescription patterns early following...... atrial fibrillation (difference in prevalence of anticoagulant use...

  4. Atrial fibrillation in fracture patients treated with oral bisphosphonates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abrahamsen, B; Eiken, P; Brixen, K

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To determine if patients receiving oral bisphosphonates are at excess risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke and myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Register-based restricted cohort study. SETTING: National Hospital Discharge Register and National Prescriptions Database (1995-2005). SUBJ......OBJECTIVES: To determine if patients receiving oral bisphosphonates are at excess risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke and myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Register-based restricted cohort study. SETTING: National Hospital Discharge Register and National Prescriptions Database (1995...... to adherence. There was no increased risk of ischaemic stroke and an increased risk of myocardial infarction was not significant after adjustment for comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: The increased occurrence of AF in fracture patients who are users of oral bisphosphonates should be attributed to targeting...

  5. Does Left Atrial Volume and Pulmonary Venous Anatomy Predict the Outcome of Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation ?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hof, Irene; Chilukuri, Karuna; Arbab-Zadeh, Armin; Scherr, Daniel; Dalal, Darshan; Nazarian, Saman; Henrikson, Charles; Spragg, David; Berger, Ronald; Marine, Joseph; Calkins, Hugh

    Introduction: Preprocedural factors may be helpful in selecting patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) for treatment with catheter ablation and in making an assumption regarding their prognosis. The aims of this study were to investigate whether left atrial (LA) volume and pulmonary venous (PV)

  6. Warfarin for the prevention of systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, L V; Vestergaard, P; Deichgraeber, P

    2008-01-01

    Warfarin for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is well documented. However, it has not been examined in the prevention of systemic embolism.......Warfarin for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is well documented. However, it has not been examined in the prevention of systemic embolism....

  7. Quantification of anaesthetic effects on atrial fibrillation rate by partial least-squares

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cervigón, R; Moreno, J; Pérez-Villacastín, J; Reilly, R B; Castells, F

    2012-01-01

    The mechanism underlying atrial fibrillation (AF) remains poorly understood. Multiple wandering propagation wavelets drifting through both atria under hierarchical models are not understood. Some pharmacological drugs, known as antiarrhythmics, modify the cardiac ionic currents supporting the fibrillation process within the atria and may modify the AF propagation dynamics terminating the fibrillation process. Other medications, theoretically non-antiarrhythmic, may slightly affect the fibrillation process in non-defined mechanisms. We evaluated whether the most commonly used anaesthetic agent, propofol, affects AF patterns. Partial least-squares (PLS) analysis was performed to reduce significant noise into the main latent variables to find the differences between groups. The final results showed an excellent discrimination between groups with slow atrial activity during the propofol infusion. (paper)

  8. Parameters of platelet activity in patients with thyrotoxicosis in the presence of chronic hyperglycemia and atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G G Petrik

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Object. The study of platelet hemostasis in patients with thyrotoxicosis in the presence of chronic hyperglycemia and atrial fibrillation to prevent coagulation disorders. Material and methods. A comprehensive analysis of the parameters of platelet and coagulation hemostasis in 91 patients (67 women and 24 men with uncomplicated thyrotoxicosis, as well as with the atrial fibrillation or a combination of hyperthyroidism with diabetes has been completed. Results. The aggregation activity of platelets in uncomplicated thyrotoxicosis comparable with that of healthy people. atrial fibrillation, as well as chronic hyperglycemia, modify platelet activity by increasing the average volume of platelets, their ability to aggregate intensification of the release reaction and along with the decrease of disaggregation properties. Regardless of the presence of diabetes or atrial fibrillation, hyperthyroidism is accompanied by the activation of coagulation. Conclusion. The presence of transforming effects of chronic hyperglycemia and atrial fibrillation on the platelet activity determines the feasibility of differentiated approach to the prevent of coagulation disorders in patients with thyrotoxicosis.

  9. Pharmacologic versus direct-current electrical cardioversion of atrial flutter and fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Gelder, IC; Tuinenburg, AE; Schoonderwoerd, BS; Tieleman, RG; Crijns, HJGM

    1999-01-01

    Conversion of atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation (AF) can be achieved by either pharmacologic or direct-current (DC) electrical cardioversion. DC electrical cardioversion is more effective and restores sinus rhythm instantaneously; however, general anesthesia is necessary, which can cause severe

  10. Prevalence, prognostic significance, and treatment of atrial fibrillation in congestive heart failure with particular reference to the DIAMOND-CHF study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Ole Dyg; Brendorp, Bente; Køber, Lars

    2003-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation is a growing health problem and the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting 5% of persons above the age of 65 years. The number of hospital discharges for atrial fibrillation has more than doubled in the past decade. It occurs very often in patients with congestive heart...... failure and the prevalence increases with the severity of the disease. These two conditions seem to be linked together, and congestive heart failure may either be the cause or the consequence of atrial fibrillation. The prognosis of atrial fibrillation is controversial, but studies indicate that atrial...... fibrillation is a risk factor in congestive heart failure patients. In the last 10-15 years, significant advances in the treatment of heart failure have improved survival, whereas effective management of atrial fibrillation in heart failure patients still awaits similar progress. Empirically, two strategies...

  11. Systolic and Diastolic Function by Tissue Doppler Imaging Predicts Mortality in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dons, Maria; BieringSørensen, Tor; Jensen, Jan Skov

    2015-01-01

    AIM: Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) detects early signs of left ventricular dysfunction. The prognostic potential of TDI in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has, however, not yet been clarified. This study evaluates the prognostic value of TDI in patients with atrial fibrillation. METHODS...

  12. Atrial Fibrillation Following Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest and Targeted Temperature Management - Are We Giving It the Attention it Deserves?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Jakob Hartvig; Hassager, Christian; Erlinge, David

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: Atrial fibrillation has been associated with increased mortality in the general population and mixed populations of critical ill. Atrial fibrillation can also affect patients during post-cardiac arrest care. We sought to assess the prognostic implications of atrial fibrillation follow...

  13. Fall risk and anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in the elderly: A delicate balance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagerty, Tracy; Rich, Michael W

    2017-01-01

    Guidelines for managing atrial fibrillation recommend systemic anticoagulation for almost all patients age 65 and older, but in practice up to 50% of older patients do not receive maintenance anticoagulation therapy. The most common reason physicians cite for withholding anticoagulation in older patients with atrial fibrillation is a perception of a high risk of falling and associated bleeding, especially intracranial hemorrhage. Copyright © 2017 Cleveland Clinic.

  14. Treatment of atrial fibrillation with radiofrequency ablation and simultaneous multipolar mapping of the pulmonary veins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rocha Neto Almino C.

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the feasibility and safety of simultaneous catheterization and mapping of the 4 pulmonary veins for ablation of atrial fibrillation. METHODS: Ten patients, 8 with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 2 with persistent atrial fibrillation, refractory to at least 2 antiarrhythmic drugs and without structural cardiopathy, were consecutively studied. Through the transseptal insertion of 2 long sheaths, 4 pulmonary veins were simultaneously catheterized with octapolar microcatheters. After identification of arrhythmogenic foci radiofrequency was applied under angiographic or ultrasonographic control. RESULTS: During 17 procedures, 40 pulmonary veins were mapped, 16 of which had local ectopic activity, related or not with the triggering of atrial fibrillation paroxysms. At the end of each procedure, suppression of arrhythmias was obtained in 8 patients, and elimination of pulmonary vein potentials was accomplished in 4. During the clinical follow-up of 9.6±3 months, 7 patients remained in sinus rhythm, 5 of whom were using antiarrhythmic drugs that had previously been ineffective. None of the patients had pulmonary hypertension or evidence of stenosis in the pulmonary veins. CONCLUSION: Selective and simultaneous catheterization of the 4 pulmonary veins with microcatheters for simultaneous recording of their electrical activity is a feasible and safe procedure that may help ablation of atrial fibrillation.

  15. Therapeutical considerations in associated atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitu, O; Mitu, F; Constantin, S; Cojocaru, Elena; Leon, Maria-Magdalena

    2014-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation is a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia very common in medical practice, often associated with heart failure. Pathophysiological relationship between atrial fibrillation and heart failure is in the attention of numerous case studies, being incomplete elucidated. We made a retrospective study on patients with both diseases, hospitalized in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Hospital, Iasi, during 01.01.2013 - 31.12.2013. The obtained data allowed the classification of patients according to gender distribution, age groups, area of origin, clinical aspects, and association with other diseases, instituted treatment and appreciation of CHADS2 score. Data interpretation was performed with appropriate statistical methods. We found a higher frequency of the disease among male patients, male: female ratio being 2:1; the most of the patients lived in urban area. The pick of diseases incidence was in patients over 65 years with a total percentage of 70.84% of cases. We noted that the most common symptoms were exertional dyspnea (in all patients), palpitations, dizziness, headache, fatigue, asthenia, dyspnea at rest and pain/chest pressure. In our study, the majority of patients received the beta-blocker--digoxin combination (46 patients, 40 patients respectively). The coexistence of the two disorders could be explained by identifying common risk factors. Beta blockers should be the first therapeutic option in patients with chronic heart failure and atrial fibrillation because they have the effect of controlling heart rate and improve survival in patients with these disorders. Meanwhile, digoxin is a drug, only certain conditions of high accuracy monitoring; whose major clinical indications are heart failure and atrial rhythm disturbances.

  16. Outcomes Associated With Familial Versus Nonfamilial Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gundlund, Anna; Olesen, Jonas Bjerring; Staerk, Laila

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: We examined all-cause mortality and long-term thromboembolic risk (ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, systemic thromboembolism) in patients with and without familial atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Using Danish nationwide registry data, we identified all patients...

  17. Artificial Intelligence Methods Applied to Parameter Detection of Atrial Fibrillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arotaritei, D.; Rotariu, C.

    2015-09-01

    In this paper we present a novel method to develop an atrial fibrillation (AF) based on statistical descriptors and hybrid neuro-fuzzy and crisp system. The inference of system produce rules of type if-then-else that care extracted to construct a binary decision system: normal of atrial fibrillation. We use TPR (Turning Point Ratio), SE (Shannon Entropy) and RMSSD (Root Mean Square of Successive Differences) along with a new descriptor, Teager- Kaiser energy, in order to improve the accuracy of detection. The descriptors are calculated over a sliding window that produce very large number of vectors (massive dataset) used by classifier. The length of window is a crisp descriptor meanwhile the rest of descriptors are interval-valued type. The parameters of hybrid system are adapted using Genetic Algorithm (GA) algorithm with fitness single objective target: highest values for sensibility and sensitivity. The rules are extracted and they are part of the decision system. The proposed method was tested using the Physionet MIT-BIH Atrial Fibrillation Database and the experimental results revealed a good accuracy of AF detection in terms of sensitivity and specificity (above 90%).

  18. The spectrum of thyroid disease and risk of new onset atrial fibrillation: a large population cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selmer, Christian; Olesen, Jonas Bjerring; Hansen, Morten Lock; Lindhardsen, Jesper; Olsen, Anne-Marie Schjerning; Madsen, Jesper Clausager; Faber, Jens; Hansen, Peter Riis; Pedersen, Ole Dyg; Torp-Pedersen, Christian; Gislason, Gunnar Hilmar

    2012-11-27

    To examine the risk of atrial fibrillation in relation to the whole spectrum of thyroid function in a large cohort of patients. Population based cohort study of general practice patients identified by linkage of nationwide registries at the individual level. Primary care patients in the city of Copenhagen. Registry data for 586,460 adults who had their thyroid function evaluated for the first time by their general practitioner during 2000-10 and who were without previously recorded thyroid disease or atrial fibrillation. Poisson regression models used to estimate risk of atrial fibrillation by thyroid function. Of the 586,460 individuals in the study population (mean (SD) age 50.2 (16.9) years, 39% men), 562,461 (96.0%) were euthyroid, 1670 (0.3%) had overt hypothyroidism, 12,087 (2.0%) had subclinical hypothyroidism, 3966 (0.7%) had overt hyperthyroidism, and 6276 (1.0%) had subclinical hyperthyroidism. Compared with the euthyroid individuals, the risk of atrial fibrillation increased with decreasing levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) from high normal euthyroidism (incidence rate ratio 1.12 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.21)) to subclinical hyperthyroidism with reduced TSH (1.16 (0.99 to 1.36)) and subclinical hyperthyroidism with supressed TSH (1.41 (1.25 to 1.59)). Both overt and subclinical hypothyroidism were associated with a lower risk of atrial fibrillation. The risk of atrial fibrillation was closely associated with thyroid activity, with a low risk in overt hypothyroidism, high risk in hyperthyroidism, and a TSH level dependent association with risk of atrial fibrillation across the spectrum of subclinical thyroid disease.

  19. Combined percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty and left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation for rheumatic mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murdoch, Dale; McAulay, Laura; Walters, Darren L.

    2014-01-01

    Rheumatic heart disease is a common cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, mostly in developing countries. Mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation often coexist, related to both structural and inflammatory changes of the mitral valve and left atrium. Both predispose to left atrial thrombus formation, commonly involving the left atrial appendage. Thromboembolism can occur, with devastating consequences. We report the case of a 62 year old woman with rheumatic heart disease resulting in mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation. Previous treatment with warfarin resulted in life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding and she refused further anticoagulant therapy. A combined procedure was performed, including percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty and left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation with the Atritech® Watchman® device. No thromboembolic or bleeding complications were encountered at one year follow-up. Long-term follow-up in a cohort of patients will be required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this strategy

  20. Combined percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty and left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation for rheumatic mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murdoch, Dale, E-mail: dale_murdoch@health.qld.gov.au [The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane (Australia); The University of Queensland, Brisbane (Australia); McAulay, Laura [The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane (Australia); Walters, Darren L. [The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane (Australia); The University of Queensland, Brisbane (Australia)

    2014-11-15

    Rheumatic heart disease is a common cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, mostly in developing countries. Mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation often coexist, related to both structural and inflammatory changes of the mitral valve and left atrium. Both predispose to left atrial thrombus formation, commonly involving the left atrial appendage. Thromboembolism can occur, with devastating consequences. We report the case of a 62 year old woman with rheumatic heart disease resulting in mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation. Previous treatment with warfarin resulted in life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding and she refused further anticoagulant therapy. A combined procedure was performed, including percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty and left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation with the Atritech® Watchman® device. No thromboembolic or bleeding complications were encountered at one year follow-up. Long-term follow-up in a cohort of patients will be required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this strategy.

  1. Dynamic Approximate Entropy Electroanatomic Maps Detect Rotors in a Simulated Atrial Fibrillation Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ugarte, Juan P.; Orozco-Duque, Andrés; Tobón, Catalina; Kremen, Vaclav; Novak, Daniel; Saiz, Javier; Oesterlein, Tobias; Schmitt, Clauss; Luik, Armin; Bustamante, John

    2014-01-01

    There is evidence that rotors could be drivers that maintain atrial fibrillation. Complex fractionated atrial electrograms have been located in rotor tip areas. However, the concept of electrogram fractionation, defined using time intervals, is still controversial as a tool for locating target sites for ablation. We hypothesize that the fractionation phenomenon is better described using non-linear dynamic measures, such as approximate entropy, and that this tool could be used for locating the rotor tip. The aim of this work has been to determine the relationship between approximate entropy and fractionated electrograms, and to develop a new tool for rotor mapping based on fractionation levels. Two episodes of chronic atrial fibrillation were simulated in a 3D human atrial model, in which rotors were observed. Dynamic approximate entropy maps were calculated using unipolar electrogram signals generated over the whole surface of the 3D atrial model. In addition, we optimized the approximate entropy calculation using two real multi-center databases of fractionated electrogram signals, labeled in 4 levels of fractionation. We found that the values of approximate entropy and the levels of fractionation are positively correlated. This allows the dynamic approximate entropy maps to localize the tips from stable and meandering rotors. Furthermore, we assessed the optimized approximate entropy using bipolar electrograms generated over a vicinity enclosing a rotor, achieving rotor detection. Our results suggest that high approximate entropy values are able to detect a high level of fractionation and to locate rotor tips in simulated atrial fibrillation episodes. We suggest that dynamic approximate entropy maps could become a tool for atrial fibrillation rotor mapping. PMID:25489858

  2. Dynamic approximate entropy electroanatomic maps detect rotors in a simulated atrial fibrillation model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ugarte, Juan P; Orozco-Duque, Andrés; Tobón, Catalina; Kremen, Vaclav; Novak, Daniel; Saiz, Javier; Oesterlein, Tobias; Schmitt, Clauss; Luik, Armin; Bustamante, John

    2014-01-01

    There is evidence that rotors could be drivers that maintain atrial fibrillation. Complex fractionated atrial electrograms have been located in rotor tip areas. However, the concept of electrogram fractionation, defined using time intervals, is still controversial as a tool for locating target sites for ablation. We hypothesize that the fractionation phenomenon is better described using non-linear dynamic measures, such as approximate entropy, and that this tool could be used for locating the rotor tip. The aim of this work has been to determine the relationship between approximate entropy and fractionated electrograms, and to develop a new tool for rotor mapping based on fractionation levels. Two episodes of chronic atrial fibrillation were simulated in a 3D human atrial model, in which rotors were observed. Dynamic approximate entropy maps were calculated using unipolar electrogram signals generated over the whole surface of the 3D atrial model. In addition, we optimized the approximate entropy calculation using two real multi-center databases of fractionated electrogram signals, labeled in 4 levels of fractionation. We found that the values of approximate entropy and the levels of fractionation are positively correlated. This allows the dynamic approximate entropy maps to localize the tips from stable and meandering rotors. Furthermore, we assessed the optimized approximate entropy using bipolar electrograms generated over a vicinity enclosing a rotor, achieving rotor detection. Our results suggest that high approximate entropy values are able to detect a high level of fractionation and to locate rotor tips in simulated atrial fibrillation episodes. We suggest that dynamic approximate entropy maps could become a tool for atrial fibrillation rotor mapping.

  3. D-dimer levels and stroke progression in patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krarup, L-H; Sandset, E C; Sandset, P M

    2011-01-01

    Krarup L-H, Sandset EC, Sandset PM, Berge E. D-dimer levels and stroke progression in patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation. Acta Neurol Scand: 2011: 124: 40-44. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Background -  Patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation are at in......Krarup L-H, Sandset EC, Sandset PM, Berge E. D-dimer levels and stroke progression in patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation. Acta Neurol Scand: 2011: 124: 40-44. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Background -  Patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation.......96), and the combined endpoint of stroke progression, recurrent stroke, and death (D-dimer: 991 ng/ml vs 970 ng/ml, P = 0.91). Multivariable analyses did not alter the results. Conclusion -  D-dimer and other markers of hemostatic activation were not associated with stroke progression, recurrent stroke, or death...

  4. Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in patients with acute atrial fibrillation attended at a cardiology emergency room

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juarez Neuhaus Barbisan

    Full Text Available CONTEXT: Atrial fibrillation occurs frequently in patients with thyrotoxicosis, while it has low prevalence in adults of the general population. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in subjects with atrial fibrillation is 0 to 24%, a wide variation that is attributed to the different methodologies applied. However, continuous use of amiodarone in patients with previous atrial fibrillation may interfere with these prevalence rates. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we present the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in adult patients who presented at a cardiac emergency room with acute atrial fibrillation, using a sensitive thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH assay and triiodothyronine (T3 and thyroxine (T4 determination. TYPE OF STUDY: Cross-sectional study SETTING: Emergency room of a tertiary care facility. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 72 patients with atrial fibrillation who presented at the emergency room not more than 48 hours after its onset. PROCEDURES: A standardized questionnaire and 12-lead electrocardiogram were applied, and T3, T4 and TSH were determined. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: TSH, T3 and T4 determination. RESULTS: Among these patients, 16.6% had altered thyroid function tests: 6.9% had hyperthyroidism, 5.6% hypothyroidism and 4.2% had increased T4 levels, by means of amiodarone use. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in our study, especially hyperthyroidism, suggests that routine thyroid testing with sensitivethyroid-stimulating hormone assay is required in patients with acute atrial fibrillation.

  5. Work related physical activity and risk of a hospital discharge diagnosis of atrial fibrillation or flutter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frost, L; Frost, P; Vestergaard, P

    2005-01-01

    of atrial fibrillation or flutter associated with sedentary work in a standing position, light workload, or heavy workload in men or women. CONCLUSION: No evidence was found of an association between physical activities during working hours and risk of a hospital discharge diagnosis of atrial fibrillation......, Cancer, and Health Study. The physical strain during working hours was categorised as sedentary, light, or heavy, and analysed using proportional hazard models. Subjects were followed up in the Danish National Registry of Patients and in the Danish Civil Registration System. RESULTS: During follow up...... (mean 5.7 years) a hospital discharge diagnosis of atrial fibrillation or flutter occurred in 305 men and 113 women. When using the risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter associated with sedentary work at a sitting position as a reference, no excess risk (unadjusted as well as adjusted) was found...

  6. Reversion of thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation in hypothyroid state after radioiodine treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamoto, Makiko; Saito, Shintaro; Sakurada, Toshiro; Yoshida, Katsumi; Kaise, Kazuro; Kaise, Nobuko; Fukazawa, Hiroshi; Itagaki, Yoichi; Yoshinaga, Kaoru

    1992-01-01

    Twenty patients with thyrotoxic Basedow's disease complicated by atrial fibrillation lasting more than one month despite treatment with antithyroidal drugs were treated with radioiodine supplemented with an antithyroidal drug or inorganic iodine. We classified the 20 patients on the basis of strial fibrillation reversion into two groups, one with reversion (group I) and the other without reversion (group II). In all 12 patients in group I, T 4 and T 3 decreased to hypothyroid levels in 3.2±1.3 months, and one month later all patients had their sinus rhythm restored while T 4 and T 3 also remained below normal (2.6±1.1 μg/dl and 77.9±34.4 ng/dl, respectively). Although T 4 and T 3 also decreased within 3.5±1.8 months in all 8 patients in group II, one month later, atrial fibrillation persisted while T 4 and T 3 (10.4±5.3 μg/dl and 157.7±67.5 ng/dl, respectively) rose significantly compared to those in group I (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). For reversion of atrial fibrillation it is important that the onset of hypothyroidism is rapidly induced by radioiodine and that hypothyroidism continues for at least one month. (author)

  7. Assessment of the dynamics of atrial signals and local atrial period series during atrial fibrillation: effects of isoproterenol administration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mantica Massimo

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The autonomic nervous system (ANS plays an important role in the genesis and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF, but quantification of its electrophysiologic effects is extremely complex and difficult. Aim of the study was to evaluate the capability of linear and non-linear indexes to capture the fine changing dynamics of atrial signals and local atrial period (LAP series during adrenergic activation induced by isoproterenol (a sympathomimetic drug infusion. Methods Nine patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF (aged 60 ± 6 underwent electrophysiological study in which isoproterenol was administered to patients. Atrial electrograms were acquired during i sinus rhythm (SR; ii sinus rhythm during isoproterenol (SRISO administration; iii atrial fibrillation (AF and iv atrial fibrillation during isoproterenol (AFISO administration. The level of organization between two electrograms was assessed by the synchronization index (S, whereas the degree of recurrence of a pattern in a signal was defined by the regularity index (R. In addition, the level of predictability (LP and regularity of LAP series were computed. Results LAP series analysis shows a reduction of both LP and R index during isoproterenol infusion in SR and AF (RSR = 0.75 ± 0.07 RSRISO = 0.69 ± 0.10, p AF = 0.31 ± 0.08 RAFISO = 0.26 ± 0.09, p SR = 99.99 ± 0.001 LPSRISO = 99.97 ± 0.03, p AF = 69.46 ± 21.55 LPAFISO = 55 ± 24.75; p SR = 0.49 ± 0.08 RSRISO = 0.46 ± 0.09 p AF = 0.29 ± 0.09 RAFISO = 0.28 ± 0.08 n.s.. Conclusions The proposed parameters succeeded in discriminating the subtle changes due to isoproterenol infusion during both the rhythms especially when considering LAP series analysis. The reduced value of analyzed parameters after isoproterenol administration could reflect an important pro-arrhythmic influence of adrenergic activation on favoring maintenance of AF.

  8. Effects of Prolonged Spaceflight on Atrial Size, Atrial Electrophysiology, and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khine, Htet W; Steding-Ehrenborg, Katarina; Hastings, Jeffrey L; Kowal, Jamie; Daniels, James D; Page, Richard L; Goldberger, Jeffery J; Ng, Jason; Adams-Huet, Beverley; Bungo, Michael W; Levine, Benjamin D

    2018-05-01

    The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in active astronauts is ≈5%, similar to the general population but at a younger age. Risk factors for AF include left atrial enlargement, increased number of premature atrial complexes, and certain parameters on signal-averaged electrocardiography, such as P-wave duration, root mean square voltage for the terminal 20 ms of the signal-averaged P wave, and P-wave amplitude. We aimed to evaluate changes in atrial structure, supraventricular beats, and atrial electrophysiology to determine whether spaceflight could increase the risk of AF. Thirteen astronauts underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to assess atrial structure and function before and after 6 months in space and high-resolution Holter monitoring for multiple 48-hour time periods before flight, during flight, and on landing day. Left atrial volume transiently increased after 6 months in space (12±18 mL; P =0.03) without changing atrial function. Right atrial size remained unchanged. No changes in supraventricular beats were noted. One astronaut had a large increase in supraventricular ectopic beats but none developed AF. Filtered P-wave duration did not change over time, but root mean square voltage for the terminal 20 ms decreased on all fight days except landing day. No changes in P-wave amplitude were seen in leads II or V 1 except landing day for lead V 1 . Six months of spaceflight may be sufficient to cause transient changes in left atrial structure and atrial electrophysiology that increase the risk of AF. However, there was no definite evidence of increased supraventricular arrhythmias and no identified episodes of AF. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

  9. Cardiac ion channels and mechanisms for protection against atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grunnet, Morten; Bentzen, Bo Hjorth; Sørensen, Ulrik S

    2011-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is recognised as the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice. Ongoing drug development is aiming at obtaining atrial specific effects in order to prevent pro-arrhythmic, devastating ventricular effects. In principle, this is possible due to a differe...... to the recent discovery that Ca(2+)-activated small conductance K(+) channels (SK channels) are important for the repolarisation of atrial action potentials. Finally, an overview of current pharmacological treatment of AF is included....

  10. [Atrial fibrillation in elderly].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arquizan, Caroline

    2012-11-01

    Atrial fibrilation (AF) is frequent and a strong risk factor for ischemic stroke in elderly. Ischemic stroke in patients with AF are more severe. Vitamine K antagonist therapy is highly effective for stroke prevention but is associated with hemorrhagic risk. The new oral anticoagulants (direct thrombin inhibitor [dabigatran], and direct factor Xa inhibitors [rivaroxaban and apixaban]) have all shown non inferiority or superiority, with better safety, considering the risk of intracranial haemorrhage. On this basis, it is justified to give them in priority in the vast majority of patients with AF, the choice of the drug and the dose is individual.

  11. Impact of congestive heart failure and left ventricular systolic function on the prognostic significance of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter following acute myocardial infarction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Ole Dyg; Bagger, Henning; Køber, Lars

    2005-01-01

    fibrillation in acute myocardial infarction patients that might explain previous discrepancies. METHODS: The study population was 6676 patients consecutively admitted to hospital with acute myocardial infarction. Information on the presence of atrial fibrillation/flutter, left ventricular systolic function......BACKGROUND: Reports on the prognostic importance of atrial fibrillation following myocardial infarction have provided considerable variation in results. Thus, this study examined the impact of left ventricular systolic function and congestive heart failure on the prognostic importance of atrial...... and congestive heart failure were prospectively collected. Mortality was followed for 5 years. RESULTS: In patients with left ventricular ejection fraction

  12. Statins as antiarrhythmics: a systematic review part I: effects on risk of atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abuissa, Hussam; O'Keefe, James H; Bybee, Kevin A

    2009-10-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated that statins may possess antiarrhythmic properties in addition to their lipid-lowering effects. Studies which reported the association of statins with the incidence of atrial arrhythmias were identified through a systematic review of published literature. One randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 200 patients undergoing cardiac surgery showed that atorvastatin decreased the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation by 61%. Observational studies in patients with stable coronary disease, left ventricular dysfunction, or those undergoing cardiac or noncardiac surgery show that statin therapy is associated with an approximately 50% lower rate of atrial fibrillation. Two small randomized trials reported conflicting results: one showing that atorvastatin reduced the recurrence of AF after electrical cardioversion and the other finding that pravastatin did not. Published data suggests that statins may possess antiarrhythmic properties that reduce the propensity for atrial fibrillation. Most of this data is observational; more randomized, placebo-controlled trials are needed.

  13. Dynamical mechanism of atrial fibrillation: A topological approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcotte, Christopher D.; Grigoriev, Roman O.

    2017-09-01

    While spiral wave breakup has been implicated in the emergence of atrial fibrillation, its role in maintaining this complex type of cardiac arrhythmia is less clear. We used the Karma model of cardiac excitation to investigate the dynamical mechanisms that sustain atrial fibrillation once it has been established. The results of our numerical study show that spatiotemporally chaotic dynamics in this regime can be described as a dynamical equilibrium between topologically distinct types of transitions that increase or decrease the number of wavelets, in general agreement with the multiple wavelets' hypothesis. Surprisingly, we found that the process of continuous excitation waves breaking up into discontinuous pieces plays no role whatsoever in maintaining spatiotemporal complexity. Instead, this complexity is maintained as a dynamical balance between wave coalescence—a unique, previously unidentified, topological process that increases the number of wavelets—and wave collapse—a different topological process that decreases their number.

  14. Comprehensive risk reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation: emerging diagnostic and therapeutic options--a report from the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation Competence NETwork/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirchhof, Paulus; Lip, Gregory Y H; Van Gelder, Isabelle C

    2012-01-01

    While management of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is improved by guideline-conform application of anticoagulant therapy, rate control, rhythm control, and therapy of accompanying heart disease, the morbidity and mortality associated with AF remain unacceptably high. This paper describes...... the proceedings of the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET)/European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) consensus conference that convened over 60 scientists and representatives from industry to jointly discuss emerging therapeutic and diagnostic improvements to achieve better management of AF patients. The paper...

  15. Symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a patient with unilateral pulmonary vein atresia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharmila Sehli

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A 52-year-old man with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was offered an atrial fibrillation (AF ablation procedure. His echocardiogram indicated that he had no structural heart disease. A cardiac computed tomographic (CT scan showed enlargement of the right pulmonary veins, absence of the left pulmonary veins, a prominent left atrial appendage, and a hypoplastic left lung. Cardiac CT with an electroanatomic mapping system confirmed a prominent left atrial appendage and the absence of the left pulmonary veins. Due to the limited number of patients with this condition, information about ablation remains very limited, and his ablation was deferred. Unilateral pulmonary vein atresia is a rare condition in adults which results from failure of incorporation of the common pulmonary vein into the left atrium. This case demonstrates the clinical importance of preprocedural imaging prior to AF ablation.

  16. Risk factors for stroke and thromboembolism in relation to age among patients with atrial fibrillation: the loire valley atrial fibrillation project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Jonas Bjerring; Fauchier, Laurent; Lane, Deirdre A

    2012-01-01

    According to the latest European guidelines on the management of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), all patients aged ≥ 65 years should be treated with oral anticoagulation (if not contraindicated). Therefore, stroke risk factors should be investigated exclusively in patients with NVAF aged...

  17. Acute renal infarction Secondary to Atrial Fibrillation Mimicking Renal Stone Picture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salih, Salih Bin; Al-Durihim, H.; Al-Jizeeri, A.; Al-Maziad, G.

    2006-01-01

    Acute renal infarction presents in a similar clinical picture to that of a renal stone. We report a 55-year-old Saudi female, known to have atrial fibrillation secondary to mitral stenosis due to rheumatic heart disease. She presented with a two day history of right flank pain that was treated initially as renal stone. Further investigations confirmed her as a case of renal infarction. Renal infarction is under-diagnosed because the similarity of its presentation to renal stone. Renal infarction should be considered in the differential diagnosis of loin pain, particularly in a patient with atrial fibrillation. (author)

  18. Efficacy and safety of ablation for people with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyong, Jonathan; Amit, Guy; Adler, Alma J; Owolabi, Onikepe O; Perel, Pablo; Prieto-Merino, David; Lambiase, Pier; Casas, Juan Pablo; Morillo, Carlos A

    2016-11-22

    The optimal rhythm management strategy for people with non-paroxysmal (persistent or long-standing persistent) atrial fibrilation is currently not well defined. Antiarrhythmic drugs have been the mainstay of therapy. But recently, in people who have not responded to antiarrhythmic drugs, the use of ablation (catheter and surgical) has emerged as an alternative to maintain sinus rhythm to avoid long-term atrial fibrillation complications. However, evidence from randomised trials about the efficacy and safety of ablation in non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is limited. To determine the efficacy and safety of ablation (catheter and surgical) in people with non-paroxysmal (persistent or long-standing persistent) atrial fibrillation compared to antiarrhythmic drugs. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, conference abstracts, clinical trial registries, and Health Technology Assessment Database. We searched these databases from their inception to 1 April 2016. We used no language restrictions. We included randomised trials evaluating the effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) or surgical ablation compared with antiarrhythmic drugs in adults with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, regardless of any concomitant underlying heart disease, with at least 12 months of follow-up. Two review authors independently selected studies and extracted data. We evaluated risk of bias using the Cochrane 'Risk of bias' tool. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous data with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) a using fixed-effect model when heterogeneity was low (I² 40%). Using the GRADE approach, we evaluated the quality of the evidence and used the GRADE profiler (GRADEpro) to import data from Review Manager 5 to create 'Summary of findings' tables. We included three randomised trials with 261 participants (mean age: 60 years) comparing RFCA (159 participants) to antiarrhythmic drugs (102) for non

  19. Impact of co-morbidities and patient characteristics on international normalized ratio control over time in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Winnie W; Choi, Jiyoon C; Vanderpoel, Julie; Damaraju, Chandrasekharra V; Wildgoose, Peter; Fields, Larry E; Schein, Jeffrey R

    2013-08-15

    This study determined the association between co-morbidities, including heart failure (HF) and time in therapeutic range (TTR), in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Longitudinal patient-level anticoagulation management records collected from 2006 to 2010 were analyzed. Adult patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who used warfarin for a 12-month period with no gap of >60 days between visits were identified. TTR <55% was defined as "lower" TTR. CHADS₂ score of ≥2 was defined as "higher" CHADS₂. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between co-morbidities and TTR. A total of 23,425 patients met the study criteria. The mean age ± SD was 74.8 ± 9.7 years, with 84.8% aged ≥65 years. The most common co-morbidities were hypertension (41.7%), diabetes (24.1%), HF (11.7%), and previous stroke (11.1%). The mean TTR ± SD was 67.3 ± 14.4%, with 18.6% of patients in the lower TTR range. In multivariate analyses using age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and region as covariates, HF (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28 to 1.56; p <0.001), diabetes (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.38; p <0.001), and previous stroke (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.27; p <0.001) were associated with lower TTR. In a second set of multivariate analyses using gender and region as covariates, a higher CHADS₂ score was associated with lower TTR (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.18; p <0.001). In conclusion, HF was associated with the greatest likelihood of a lower TTR, followed by diabetes, then stroke. Anticoagulation control may be more challenging for patients with these conditions. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in a Mission-Assigned Astronaut

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Peter A.; Polk, J. D.

    2010-01-01

    This presentation will explore the clinical and administrative conundrums faced by the flight surgeon upon discovering asymptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation seven months prior to scheduled long duration spaceflight. The presenter will discuss the decision-making process as well as the clinical and operational outcomes.

  1. Pattern of atrial fibrillation and risk of outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Banerjee, Amitava; Taillandier, Sophie; Olesen, Jonas Bjerring

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Risk of stroke and thromboembolism (TE) in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is categorised in stroke risk stratification scores. The role of pattern of NVAF in risk prediction is unclear in contemporary 'real world' cohorts. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with NVAF...

  2. Atrial fibrillation: To map or not to map?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A. Yaksh (Ameeta); C. Kik (Charles); S.P. Knops (Simon); J.W. Roos-Hesselink (Jolien); A.J.J.C. Bogers (Ad); F. Zijlstra (Felix); M.A. Allessie (Maurits); N.M.S. de Groot (Natasja)

    2014-01-01

    textabstractIsolation of the pulmonary veins may be an effective treatment modality for eliminating atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes but unfortunately not for all patients. When ablative therapy fails, it is assumed that AF has progressed from a trigger-driven to a substrate-mediated arrhythmia.

  3. Edoxaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Giugliano, R.P.; Ruff, C.T.; Braunwald, E.; Murphy, S.A.; Wiviott, S.D.; Halperin, J.L.; Waldo, A.L.; Ezekowitz, M.D.; Weitz, J.I.; Spinar, J.; Ruzyllo, W.; Ruda, M.; Koretsune, Y.; Betcher, J.; Shi, M.; Grip, L.T.; Patel, S.P.; Patel, I.; Hanyok, J.J.; Mercuri, M.; Antman, E.M.; Verheugt, F.W.A.; et al.,

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Edoxaban is a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor with proven antithrombotic effects. The long-term efficacy and safety of edoxaban as compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation is not known. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy trial comparing two

  4. Edoxaban versus Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Giugliano, Robert P.; Ruff, Christian T.; Braunwald, Eugene; Murphy, Sabina A.; Wiviott, Stephen D.; Halperin, Jonathan L.; Waldo, Albert L.; Ezekowitz, Michael D.; Weitz, Jeffrey I.; Špinar, Jindřich; Ruzyllo, Witold; Ruda, Mikhail; Koretsune, Yukihiro; Betcher, Joshua; Shi, Minggao; Grip, Laura T.; Patel, Shirali P.; Patel, Indravadan; Hanyok, James J.; Mercuri, Michele; Antman, Elliott M.; Braunwald, E.; Antman, E. M.; Giugliano, R. P.; Ruff, C. T.; Morin, S. E.; Hoffman, E. B.; Murphy, S. A.; Deenadayalu, N.; Grip, L.; Mercuri, M.; Lanz, H.; Patel, I.; Curt, V.; Duggal, A.; Hanyok, J.; Davé, J.; Morgan, D.; Choi, Y.; Shi, M.; Jin, J.; Xie, J.; Crerand, W.; Kappelhof, J.; Maxwell, W.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, Z.; de Groot, J. [=Joris R.; de Vos, R.; Hoekstra, J.

    2013-01-01

    BackgroundEdoxaban is a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor with proven antithrombotic effects. The long-term efficacy and safety of edoxaban as compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation is not known. MethodsWe conducted a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy trial comparing two

  5. Dabigatran use in Danish atrial fibrillation patients in 2011

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Rikke; Gislason, Gunnar; Torp-Pedersen, Christian Tobias

    2013-01-01

    Objective: Dabigatran was recently approved for anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF); data regarding real-world use, comparative effectiveness and safety are sparse. Design: Pharmacoepidemiological cohort study. Methods/settings: From nationwide registers, we identified...

  6. Paroxysmal postprandial atrial fibrilation suppressed by laparoscopic repair of a giant paraesophageal hernia compressing the left atrium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cristian, Daniel A; Constantin, Alin S; Barbu, Mariana; Spătaru, Dan; Burcoș, Traean; Grama, Florin A

    2015-03-01

    We present the case of a patient with a giant paraesophageal hernia associated with paroxysmal postprandial atrial fibrillation that was suppressed after surgery. The imaging investigations showed the intrathoracic displacement of a large part of the stomach, which pushed the left atrial wall causing atrial fibrillation. The laparoscopic surgical repair acted as sole treatment for this condition.

  7. 256-slice CT coronary angiography in atrial fibrillation: The impact of mean heart rate and heart rate variability on image quality

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Liang-Kuang [Department of Radiology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (China); College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Hsu, Shih-Ming [Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Mok, Greta S.P. [Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau (China); Law, Wei-Yip; Lu, Kun-Mu [Department of Radiology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Yang, Ching-Ching, E-mail: g39220003@yahoo.com.tw [Department of Radiological Technology, Tzu Chi College of Technology, 880, Sec.2, Chien-kuo Rd. Hualien 970, Taiwan (China); Wu, Tung-Hsin, E-mail: tung@ym.edu.tw [Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming University, 155 Li-Nong St., Sec. 2, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China)

    2011-08-21

    Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the image quality of 256-MDCT in atrial fibrillation and to compare the findings with those among patients in sinus rhythm. Materials: All reconstructed images were evaluated by two independent experienced readers blinded to patient information, heart rate, and ECG results to assess the diagnostic quality of images of the coronary artery segments using axial images, multi-planar reformations, maximum intensity projections, and volume rendering technique. Results: No statistical significance was detected in terms of the overall image quality between patients in sinus rhythm and with atrial fibrillation. Pearson's correlation analysis showed no significant association between image quality and mean heart rate no matter for patients in sinus rhythm or with atrial fibrillation. Similarly, there was no correlation between image quality and heart rate variability for either patients in sinus rhythm or with atrial fibrillation. Our results showed that the optimal reconstruction window depends on patient's HR, and the pattern for patients in atrial fibrillation is similar to that obtained from non-atrial fibrillation patients. Conclusion: This study shows the potential of using 256-MDCT coronary angiography in patients with atrial fibrillation. Our results suggest that when appropriate reconstruction timing window is applied, patients with atrial fibrillation do not have to be excluded from MDCT coronary angiographic examinations.

  8. 256-slice CT coronary angiography in atrial fibrillation: The impact of mean heart rate and heart rate variability on image quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Liang-Kuang; Hsu, Shih-Ming; Mok, Greta S.P.; Law, Wei-Yip; Lu, Kun-Mu; Yang, Ching-Ching; Wu, Tung-Hsin

    2011-01-01

    Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the image quality of 256-MDCT in atrial fibrillation and to compare the findings with those among patients in sinus rhythm. Materials: All reconstructed images were evaluated by two independent experienced readers blinded to patient information, heart rate, and ECG results to assess the diagnostic quality of images of the coronary artery segments using axial images, multi-planar reformations, maximum intensity projections, and volume rendering technique. Results: No statistical significance was detected in terms of the overall image quality between patients in sinus rhythm and with atrial fibrillation. Pearson's correlation analysis showed no significant association between image quality and mean heart rate no matter for patients in sinus rhythm or with atrial fibrillation. Similarly, there was no correlation between image quality and heart rate variability for either patients in sinus rhythm or with atrial fibrillation. Our results showed that the optimal reconstruction window depends on patient's HR, and the pattern for patients in atrial fibrillation is similar to that obtained from non-atrial fibrillation patients. Conclusion: This study shows the potential of using 256-MDCT coronary angiography in patients with atrial fibrillation. Our results suggest that when appropriate reconstruction timing window is applied, patients with atrial fibrillation do not have to be excluded from MDCT coronary angiographic examinations.

  9. Postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients on statins undergoing ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: The efficacy of perioperative statin therapy in decreasing postoperative morbidity in patients undergoing valve replacements and repairs is unknown. The aim of our study was to determine whether or not the literature supports the hypothesis that statins decrease postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF), and hence ...

  10. Atrial fibrillation in patients with sick sinus syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jens Cosedis; Thomsen, Poul Erik B; Højberg, Søren

    2012-01-01

    between minimal-paced programmed AVI = 100 and >100 ms (median value), respectively (P= 0.60).ConclusionsThe present study indicates that a longer baseline PQ-interval is associated with an increased risk of AF in patients with sick sinus syndrome. Atrial fibrillation burden is not associated...

  11. Apixaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Granger, C.B.; Alexander, J.H.; McMurray, J.J.; Lopes, R.D.; Hylek, E.M.; Hanna, M.; Al-Khalidi, H.R.; Ansell, J.; Atar, D.; Avezum, A.; Bahit, M.C.; Diaz, R.; Easton, J.D.; Ezekowitz, J.A.; Flaker, G.; Garcia, D.; Geraldes, M.; Gersh, B.J.; Golitsyn, S.; Goto, S.; Hermosillo, A.G.; Hohnloser, S.H.; Horowitz, J.; Mohan, P.; Jansky, P.; Lewis, B.S.; Lopez-Sendon, J.L.; Pais, P.; Parkhomenko, A.; Verheugt, F.W.A.; Zhu, J.; Wallentin, L.

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Vitamin K antagonists are highly effective in preventing stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation but have several limitations. Apixaban is a novel oral direct factor Xa inhibitor that has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke in a similar population in comparison with aspirin.

  12. Health status, geriatric syndromes and prescription of oral anticoagulant therapy in elderly medical inpatients with atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bo, Mario; Sciarrillo, Irene; Maggiani, Guido; Falcone, Yolanda; Iacovino, Marina; Grisoglio, Enrica; Fonte, Gianfranco; Grosjean, Simon; Gaita, Fiorenzo

    2017-03-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of geriatric syndromes among older medical inpatients with atrial fibrillation, and their association with use of vitamin K antagonists. A retrospective study of patients aged ≥65 years discharged with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation from the Acute Geriatric Ward was carried out. Stroke and bleeding risk were evaluated according to the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASC and HAS-BLED scores. Comorbidity, cognitive status, functional autonomy and contraindications to vitamin K antagonists were also considered. Atrial fibrillation was documented in 1078 of 3650 patients (29.5%, mean age 83.4 ± 6.6 years, 60.3% women). Contraindications to vitamin K antagonists were documented in 24.9% of patients. Prescription of vitamin K antagonists at discharge was 37.8% and 47.9%, in the overall sample and in those without contraindications, respectively. In the overall sample, prescription of vitamin K antagonists was associated with younger age, permanent/persistent atrial fibrillation, home discharge, less comorbidity, higher hemoglobin levels, better functional independence, known atrial fibrillation at admission and lower HAS-BLED score. Among patients without contraindications to vitamin K antagonists, their use at discharge was independently associated with younger age, permanent/persistent atrial fibrillation, home discharge, higher hemoglobin levels and CHA2DS2-VASC score, better functional autonomy, and greater number of drugs. We showed a high prevalence of atrial fibrillation among older medical inpatients, who have a poor health status and a high prevalence of geriatric syndromes. Vitamin K antagonists were prescribed in less than half of the patients; underuse was mainly accounted for by a high prevalence of comorbidities/contraindications, poor health status and limited functional autonomy. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 416-423. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

  13. Impact of body mass index on mortality and hospitalisation of patients with atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ball, Jocasta; Løchen, Maja-Lisa; Carrington, Melinda J; Wiley, Joshua F; Stewart, Simon

    2018-04-01

    Atrial fibrillation represents a substantial clinical and public health issue. The definitive impact of body mass index on prognosis of patients with chronic (persistent or permanent) atrial fibrillation remains undetermined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of body mass index with health outcomes (mortality and re-hospitalisation) of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. Using data from the Standard versus Atrial Fibrillation spEcific managemenT strategY (SAFETY) trial (a randomised controlled trial of home-based, atrial fibrillation-specific disease management), we performed post-hoc analyses of mortality and re-hospitalisation outcomes during minimum 24-month follow-up according to baseline body mass index profile. Of 297 participants (mean age 71±11 years, 47% female, mean body mass index 29.6±6.7 kg/m 2 ), 35.0% of participants were overweight (body mass index 25.0-29.9 kg/m 2 ) and 43.1% were obese (body mass index≥30 kg/m 2 ). During follow-up, n=42 died including 16/65 (24.6%) classified as normal body mass index, 16/104 (15.4%) classified as overweight and 10/128 (7.8%) classified as obese. Increasing body mass index was not associated with increased mortality but was associated with re-hospitalisation due to cardiovascular disease with greater length-of-stay (odds ratio 1.05; 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.09, p=0.032). Obese individuals experienced increased unplanned admissions compared to overweight individuals (incidence rate ratio 0.71; 95% confidence interval 0.53-0.96, p=0.028), and increased cardiovascular-related (incidence rate ratio 0.58; 95% confidence interval 0.39-0.86, p=0.007) and all-cause admissions (incidence rate ratio 0.63; 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.89, p=0.008) compared to those classified as normal body mass index. Overweight and obesity were not associated with survival in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation but were associated with more frequent hospital care and prolonged stay.

  14. Reversion of thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation in hypothyroid state after radioiodine treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamamoto, Makiko; Saito, Shintaro; Sakurada, Toshiro; Yoshida, Katsumi; Kaise, Kazuro; Kaise, Nobuko; Fukazawa, Hiroshi; Itagaki, Yoichi; Yoshinaga, Kaoru [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). School of Medicine

    1992-06-01

    Twenty patients with thyrotoxic Basedow's disease complicated by atrial fibrillation lasting more than one month despite treatment with antithyroidal drugs were treated with radioiodine supplemented with an antithyroidal drug or inorganic iodine. We classified the 20 patients on the basis of strial fibrillation reversion into two groups, one with reversion (group I) and the other without reversion (group II). In all 12 patients in group I, T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} decreased to hypothyroid levels in 3.2{+-}1.3 months, and one month later all patients had their sinus rhythm restored while T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} also remained below normal (2.6{+-}1.1 {mu}g/dl and 77.9{+-}34.4 ng/dl, respectively). Although T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} also decreased within 3.5{+-}1.8 months in all 8 patients in group II, one month later, atrial fibrillation persisted while T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} (10.4{+-}5.3 {mu}g/dl and 157.7{+-}67.5 ng/dl, respectively) rose significantly compared to those in group I (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). For reversion of atrial fibrillation it is important that the onset of hypothyroidism is rapidly induced by radioiodine and that hypothyroidism continues for at least one month. (author).

  15. Reversion of thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation in hypothyroid state after radioiodine treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamamoto, Makiko; Saito, Shintaro; Sakurada, Toshiro; Yoshida, Katsumi; Kaise, Kazuro; Kaise, Nobuko; Fukazawa, Hiroshi; Itagaki, Yoichi; Yoshinaga, Kaoru (Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). School of Medicine)

    1992-06-01

    Twenty patients with thyrotoxic Basedow's disease complicated by atrial fibrillation lasting more than one month despite treatment with antithyroidal drugs were treated with radioiodine supplemented with an antithyroidal drug or inorganic iodine. We classified the 20 patients on the basis of strial fibrillation reversion into two groups, one with reversion (group I) and the other without reversion (group II). In all 12 patients in group I, T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} decreased to hypothyroid levels in 3.2{+-}1.3 months, and one month later all patients had their sinus rhythm restored while T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} also remained below normal (2.6{+-}1.1 {mu}g/dl and 77.9{+-}34.4 ng/dl, respectively). Although T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} also decreased within 3.5{+-}1.8 months in all 8 patients in group II, one month later, atrial fibrillation persisted while T{sub 4} and T{sub 3} (10.4{+-}5.3 {mu}g/dl and 157.7{+-}67.5 ng/dl, respectively) rose significantly compared to those in group I (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). For reversion of atrial fibrillation it is important that the onset of hypothyroidism is rapidly induced by radioiodine and that hypothyroidism continues for at least one month. (author).

  16. Ejection fraction and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Banerjee, Amitava; Taillandier, Sophie; Olesen, Jonas Bjerring

    2012-01-01

    Heart failure (HF) increases the risk of stroke and thrombo-embolism (TE) in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), and is incorporated in stroke risk stratification scores. We aimed to establish the role of ejection fraction (EF) in risk prediction in patients with NVAF and HF.......Heart failure (HF) increases the risk of stroke and thrombo-embolism (TE) in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), and is incorporated in stroke risk stratification scores. We aimed to establish the role of ejection fraction (EF) in risk prediction in patients with NVAF and HF....

  17. Contemporary approach to stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: Risks, benefits, and new options.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stock, Jonathan; Malm, Brian J

    2018-04-04

    Atrial fibrillation is a common diagnosis affecting nearly 3 million adults in the United States. Morbidity and mortality in these patients is driven largely by the associated increased risk of thromboembolic complications, especially stroke. Atrial fibrillation is a stronger risk factor than hypertension, coronary disease, or heart failure and is associated with an approximately five-fold increased risk. Mitigating stroke risk can be challenging and requires accurate assessment of stroke risk factors and careful selection of appropriate therapy. Anticoagulation, including the more recently introduced direct oral anticoagulants, is the standard of care for most patients. In addition, emerging non-pharmacologic mechanical interventions are playing an expanding role in reducing stroke risk in select patients. In this review we highlight the current approach to stroke risk stratification in atrial fibrillation and discuss in detail the mechanism, risks, and benefits of current and evolving therapies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. How to perform posterior wall isolation in catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugumar, Hariharan; Thomas, Stuart P; Prabhu, Sandeep; Voskoboinik, Aleksandr; Kistler, Peter M

    2018-02-01

    Catheter ablation has become standard of care in patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). Although there have been significant advances in our understanding and technology, a substantial proportion of patients have ongoing AF requiring repeat procedures. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of AF ablation; however, it is less effective in patients with persistent as opposed to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Left atrial posterior wall isolation (PWI) is commonly performed as an adjunct to PVI in patients with persistent AF with nonrandomized studies showing improved outcomes. Anatomical considerations and detailed outline of the various approaches and techniques to performing PWI are detailed, and advantages and pitfalls to assist the clinical electrophysiologist successfully and safely complete PWI are described. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Alcohol consumption and risk of atrial fibrillation in men and women: the Copenhagen City Heart Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mukamal, Kenneth J; Tolstrup, Janne S; Friberg, Jens

    2005-01-01

    and incident atrial fibrillation among 16,415 women and men enrolled in the Copenhagen City Heart Study. We ascertained use of beer, wine, and spirits individually at up to 3 study visits with a structured questionnaire. We identified cases of atrial fibrillation by routine study ECGs and a validated...

  20. Assessment of blood stasis in left-atrial appendage with electron-beam CT: filling delay in atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakanishi, Tadashi; Hamada, Seiki; Takamiya, Makoto; Kuribayashi, Sachio; Naito, Hiroaki

    1994-01-01

    The left-atrial appendage (LAA) is the most frequent site of thrombus formation. The most probable reason is its anatomical structure and blood stasis. We hypothesized that peak time delay should occur in the LAA with stagnant blood flow. We measured peak time delay in LAA against left atrium with the flow-mode study of electron-beam CT for 49 patients (including 23 patients with atrial fibrillation [AF]). Volume-mode scannings were also performed to detect intracardiac thrombi. Patients with atrial fibrillation showed a larger value than those with sinus rhythm. Some AF patients with no filling of contrast media into the LAA and/or thrombus showed a larger value than the others. The value obtained by the flow-mode study might have the potential by the flow-mode study might have the potential to assess blood stasis and to predict the jeopardized state in the LAA. (orig.)

  1. Assessment of blood stasis in left-atrial appendage with electron-beam CT: filling delay in atrial fibrillation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakanishi, Tadashi [Dept. of Radiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Hamada, Seiki [Dept. of Radiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Takamiya, Makoto [Dept. of Radiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Kuribayashi, Sachio [Dept. of Radiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Naito, Hiroaki [Biomedical Research Center, Osaka Univ. School of Medicine, Suita (Japan)

    1994-10-01

    The left-atrial appendage (LAA) is the most frequent site of thrombus formation. The most probable reason is its anatomical structure and blood stasis. We hypothesized that peak time delay should occur in the LAA with stagnant blood flow. We measured peak time delay in LAA against left atrium with the flow-mode study of electron-beam CT for 49 patients (including 23 patients with atrial fibrillation [AF]). Volume-mode scannings were also performed to detect intracardiac thrombi. Patients with atrial fibrillation showed a larger value than those with sinus rhythm. Some AF patients with no filling of contrast media into the LAA and/or thrombus showed a larger value than the others. The value obtained by the flow-mode study might have the potential by the flow-mode study might have the potential to assess blood stasis and to predict the jeopardized state in the LAA. (orig.)

  2. Inflammation in the genesis and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Engelmann, Mads D M; Svendsen, Jesper Hastrup

    2005-01-01

    The prevalence and persistence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and the relative inefficacy of the currently available pharmacotherapy requires development of new treatment strategies. Recent findings have suggested a mechanistic link between inflammatory processes and the development of AF...

  3. Cancer antigen-125 and risk of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cheung, Angel; Gong, Mengqi; Bellanti, Roberto

    2018-01-01

    Background: Cancer antigen-125 (Ca-125) is traditionally recognised as a tumour marker and its role in cardiovascular diseases has been studied only in recent years. Whether Ca-125 is elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and its levels predict the risk of AF remains controversial. T...

  4. Higher burden of supraventricular ectopic complexes early after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation is associated with increased risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alhede, Christina; Johannessen, Arne; Dixen, Ulrik

    2018-01-01

    AIMS: Early identification of patients who could benefit from early re-intervention after catheter ablation is highly warranted. Our aim was to investigate the association between post-procedural burden of supraventricular ectopic complexes (SVEC) and the risk of long-term atrial fibrillation (AF...

  5. The immediate future for the medical treatment of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Ole Dyg; Brendorp, Bente; Køber, Lars

    2002-01-01

    ) the rhythm causes loss of atrioventricular synchrony, which reduces diastolic filling and may lead to heart failure; and iii) atrial contraction is lost leading to stagnant blood that again may lead to atrial thrombi and peripheral embolism. Thus, the treatment of atrial fibrillation is focused...... on the maintenance of sinus rhythm, rate control and prevention of embolism. For the maintenance of sinus rhythm, all drugs under current development are potassium channel blockers; the so-called class III anti-arrhythmic drugs. Those which have been further investigated appear to be valuable for maintenance...

  6. Role of the Atrioventricular Node in Atrial Fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijler, F.L.; Wittkampf, F.H.M.

    1997-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is probably the most cornmon cardiac arrhythmia in humans, particularly in the elderly (1-3). The irregularity and inequality of the he art beat first described by Hering in 1903 were, and continue to be, the landmark of the clinical diagnosis of AF (4,5). Sir Thomas

  7. Atrial fibrillation detection and R-wave synchronization by Metrix implantable atrial defibrillator - Implications for long-term efficacy and safety

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tse, HF; Lau, CP; Sra, JS; Crijns, HJGM; Edvardsson, N; Kacet, S; Wyse, DG

    1999-01-01

    Background-The long-term efficacy of atrial fibrillation (AF) detection and R-wave synchronization are critical safety requirements for the development of an implantable atrial defibrillator (LAD) for treatment of AF. Methods and Results The long-term efficacy of the Metrix IAD for AF detection and

  8. The role of atrial fibrillation on mortality and morbidity in patients with ischaemic stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cögen, Etem Emre; Tombul, Temel; Yildirim, Gökhan; Odabas, Faruk Omer; Sayin, Refah

    2013-12-01

    To investigate the impact of atrial fibrillation on mortality and morbidity in ischaemic stroke patients. The retrospective study was conducted at the Neurology Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey, and comprised records of ischaemic stroke patients hospitalised between January 2006 and September 2009. SPSS 13 was used for statistical analysis. Of the 404 patients in the study, 69 (17.1%) had atrial fibrilation. The mean age of such patients was 66.78 +/- 12.23 years compared to 61.01 +/- 15.11 years for the rest. Besides 47 (68.1%) of these patients were females. According to the modified Rankin Scale scores, the degree of disability was significantly higher at the time of arrival and discharge, and mortality rates were significantly higher also (p Atrial fibrillation affected the prognosis of ischaemic stroke adversely in terms of mortality and morbidity.

  9. Evaluating the Atrial Myopathy Underlying Atrial Fibrillation: Identifying the Arrhythmogenic and Thrombogenic Substrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldberger, Jeffrey J.; Arora, Rishi; Green, David; Greenland, Philip; Lee, Daniel C.; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M.; Markl, Michael; Ng, Jason; Shah, Sanjiv J.

    2015-01-01

    Atrial disease or myopathy forms the substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF) and underlies the potential for atrial thrombus formation and subsequent stroke. Current diagnostic approaches in patients with AF focus on identifying clinical predictors with evaluation of left atrial size by echocardiography serving as the sole measure specifically evaluating the atrium. Although the atrial substrate underlying AF is likely developing for years prior to the onset of AF, there is no current evaluation to identify the pre-clinical atrial myopathy. Atrial fibrosis is one component of the atrial substrate that has garnered recent attention based on newer MRI techniques that have been applied to visualize atrial fibrosis in humans with prognostic implications regarding success of treatment. Advanced ECG signal processing, echocardiographic techniques, and MRI imaging of fibrosis and flow provide up-to-date approaches to evaluate the atrial myopathy underlying AF. While thromboembolic risk is currently defined by clinical scores, their predictive value is mediocre. Evaluation of stasis via imaging and biomarkers associated with thrombogenesis may provide enhanced approaches to assess risk for stroke in patients with AF. Better delineation of the atrial myopathy that serves as the substrate for AF and thromboembolic complications might improve treatment outcomes. Furthermore, better delineation of the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the development of the atrial substrate for AF, particularly in its earlier stages, could help identify blood and imaging biomarkers that could be useful to assess risk for developing new onset AF and suggest specific pathways that could be targeted for prevention. PMID:26216085

  10. Inflammatory single nucleotide polymorphisms and the risk of atrial fibrillation: a case control study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henningsen, Kristoffer M; Olesen, Morten S; Ravn, Lasse S

    2011-01-01

    Systemic inflammation is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and inflammatory processes are involved in the pathophysiology of AF. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms, which determine the rate of inflammatory cytokines, are associated with increased risk of AF.......Systemic inflammation is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and inflammatory processes are involved in the pathophysiology of AF. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms, which determine the rate of inflammatory cytokines, are associated with increased risk of AF....

  11. Endurance Sport Practice and Atrial Fibrillation

    OpenAIRE

    Calvo, Naiara; Mont, Lluis

    2010-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac rhythm disorder in clinical practice, with an estimated prevalence of 0.4% to 1% in the general population, increasing with age to 8% in those older than 80 years. The recognized risk factors for developing AF include age, hypertension, structural heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and hyperthyroidism. However, the etiology remains unclear in a significant number of patients younger than age 60 in whom no cardiovascular disease or any other k...

  12. Red Wine, Resveratrol and Atrial Fibrillation

    OpenAIRE

    Stephan, Laura Siga; Almeida, Eduardo Dytz; Markoski, Melissa Medeiros; Garavaglia, Juliano; Marcadenti, Aline

    2017-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia that is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. Excessive alcohol intake is a well-known risk factor for AF, but this correlation is less clear with light and moderate drinking. Besides, low doses of red wine may acutely prolong repolarization and slow cardiac conduction. Resveratrol, a bioactive polyphenol found in grapes and red wine, has been linked to antiarrhythmic properties and may act as a...

  13. Rapid slowing of the atrial fibrillatory rate after administration of AZD7009 predicts conversion of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aunes, Maria; Egstrup, Kenneth; Frison, Lars

    2014-01-01

    to sinus rhythm (SR) and were matched to 35 non-converters. The mean AFR before conversion was 231 fibrillations per minute (fpm), having decreased by 41%; in non-converters, it was 296 fpm at the end of infusion, having decreased by 26%. The rate of decrease was greater in converters at 5 min, -88 vs. -66......BACKGROUND: Effects on the atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR) were studied during infusion with the combined potassium and sodium channel blocker AZD7009. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) were randomized to AZD7009 or placebo. Thirty-five patients converted...... fpm (p=0.02), and at 10 min, -133 vs. -111 fpm (p=0.048). The AFR-SD and the exponential decay decreased. A small left atrial area was the only baseline predictor of conversion to SR. CONCLUSIONS: AZD7009 produced a significantly more rapid decrease of the AFR in converters than in non...

  14. [Atrial fibrillation concomitant with valvular heart disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishii, Yosuke

    2013-01-01

    Patients with valvular heart disease frequently have atrial fibrillation(AF) due to elevated pressure and dilatation of the left and right atria and pulmonary veins. Guidelines for valvular heart disease and AF recommend that surgical treatment for the valvular heart disease should be performed concomitantly with AF surgery. The Full-Maze procedure has evolved into the gold standard of treatment for medically refractory AF. In addition to the pulmonary vein isolation, the right and left atrial incisions of the Full-Maze procedure are designed to block potential macroreentrant pathways. According to the mechanisms of AF with valvular heart disease, the Full-Maze procedure is more effective for the patients than the pulmonary vein isolation alone.

  15. Applying non-linear dynamics to atrial appendage flow data to understand and characterize atrial arrhythmia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandra, S.; Grimm, R.A.; Katz, R.; Thomas, J.D.

    1996-01-01

    The aim of this study was to better understand and characterize left atrial appendage flow in atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation and flutter are the most common cardiac arrhythmias affecting 15% of the older population. The pulsed Doppler velocity profile data was recorded from the left atrial appendage of patients using transesophageal echocardiography. The data was analyzed using Fourier analysis and nonlinear dynamical tools. Fourier analysis showed that appendage mechanical frequency (f f ) for patients in sinus rhythm was always lower (around1 Hz) than that in atrial fibrillation (5-8 Hz). Among patients with atrial fibrillation spectral power below f f was significantly different suggesting variability within this group of patients. Results that suggested the presence of nonlinear dynamics were: a) the existence of two arbitrary peak frequencies f 1 , f 2 , and other peak frequencies as linear combinations thereof (mf 1 ±nf 2 ), and b) the similarity between the spectrum of patient data and that obtained using the Lorenz equation. Nonlinear analysis tools, including Phase plots and differential radial plots, were also generated from the velocity data using a delay of 10. In the phase plots, some patients displayed a torus-like structure, while others had a more random-like pattern. In the differential radial plots, the first set of patients (with torus-like phase plots) showed fewer values crossing an arbitrary threshold of 10 than did the second set (8 vs. 27 in one typical example). The outcome of cardioversion was different for these two set of patients. Fourier analysis helped to: differentiate between sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation, understand the characteristics of the wide range of atrial fibrillation patients, and provide hints that atrial fibrillation could be a nonlinear process. Nonlinear dynamical tools helped to further characterize and sub-classify atrial fibrillation

  16. Lumbar Discectomy of a Patient of Mitral Stenosis with Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Under Epidural Anaesthesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinaya R Kulkarni

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available A 60-year-old female patient posted for discectomy of lumbar region L 3 -L 4 was accidently diagnosed to have chronic atrial fibrillation of rheumatic aetiology.This is a case report of this patient of critical mitral stenosis with mild mitral regurgitation with chronic atrial fibrillation managed successfully under lower thoracic epidural anaesthesia,in prone position without any compli-cation.

  17. Atrial fibrillation in the dog: a review of eight cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, R.E.

    1984-01-01

    Eight cases of canine atrial fibrillation encountered in small animal practice are reported. Details are included of age, sex and breed, history and clinical signs, thoracic radiography, electrocardiography, clinical pathology, treatment and survival periods

  18. Atrial fibrillation in the dog: a review of eight cases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas, R. E. [Vet. Hospital, 34 New Dover Rd, Canterbury, Kent (United Kingdom)

    1984-07-01

    Eight cases of canine atrial fibrillation encountered in small animal practice are reported. Details are included of age, sex and breed, history and clinical signs, thoracic radiography, electrocardiography, clinical pathology, treatment and survival periods.

  19. Atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention practices in patients with candidacy for anticoagulation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ullah, I.; Ahmad, S.; Hayat, Y.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Stroke secondary to Atrial Fibrillation is usually due to thrombi formed in the left atrium and left atrial appendage embolizing to cause ischemic stroke. Therefore, in patients with Atrial Fibrillation, antithrombotic therapy is recommended to prevent stroke. Vitamin K antagonist therapy is most widely used antithrombotic therapy for patients with valvular and non valvular AF. Aspirin is recommended only in low risk patients. This study was conducted to determine the stroke prevention practices in local patients with atrial fibrillation who were candidates for anticoagulation therapy. Method: This was descriptive cross sectional study conducted at Cardiovascular Department Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar and Cardiology Department Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar. Sampling technique was non probability consecutive. Patients visiting OPD of respective hospitals with EKG evidence of AF and having CHADES VASC score 2 or more or having mitral stenosis and AF were included in the study. Patients with additional indications for anticoagulation were excluded from the study. Results: A total of 205 patients with atrial fibrillation were studied. Mean age was 60.7±14.7 years. Male were 55.6 percentage (n=114) while 44.4 percentage (n=91) were female. Of these 149 (72.7 percentage) were candidates for anticoagulation based on CHA2DS2 VASc score of 2 and more or mitral stenosis with AF. Only 27.5 percentage (n=41) patients were adequately treated with anticoagulant therapy using VKA or novel oral anticoagulant drugs. Majority of them were getting dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Conclusion: Most patients with AF and high risk characteristics for thromboembolism are not receiving proper stroke prevention therapies. (author)

  20. Left atrial accessory appendages, diverticula, and left-sided septal pouch in multi-slice computed tomography. Association with atrial fibrillation and cerebrovascular accidents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hołda, Mateusz K; Koziej, Mateusz; Wszołek, Karolina; Pawlik, Wiesław; Krawczyk-Ożóg, Agata; Sorysz, Danuta; Łoboda, Piotr; Kuźma, Katarzyna; Kuniewicz, Marcin; Lelakowski, Jacek; Dudek, Dariusz; Klimek-Piotrowska, Wiesława

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this study is to provide a morphometric description of the left-sided septal pouch (LSSP), left atrial accessory appendages, and diverticula using cardiac multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and to compare results between patient subgroups. Two hundred and ninety four patients (42.9% females) with a mean of 69.4±13.1years of age were investigated using MSCT. The presence of the LSSP, left atrial accessory appendages, and diverticula was evaluated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to check whether the presence of additional left atrial structures is associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation and cerebrovascular accidents. At least one additional left atrial structure was present in 51.7% of patients. A single LSSP, left atrial diverticulum, and accessory appendage were present in 35.7%, 16.0%, and 4.1% of patients, respectively. After adjusting for other risk factors via multiple logistic regression, patients with LSSP are more likely to have atrial fibrillation (OR=2.00, 95% CI=1.14-3.48, p=0.01). The presence of a LSSP was found to be associated with an increased risk of transient ischemic attack using multiple logistic regression analysis after adjustment for other risk factors (OR=3.88, 95% CI=1.10-13.69, p=0.03). In conclusion LSSPs, accessory appendages, and diverticula are highly prevalent anatomic structures within the left atrium, which could be easily identified by MSCT. The presence of LSSP is associated with increased risk for atrial fibrillation and transient ischemic attack. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Impact of stepwise ablation on the biatrial substrate in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, David G; Haldar, Shouvik K; Jarman, Julian W E; Johar, Sofian; Hussain, Wajid; Markides, Vias; Wong, Tom

    2013-08-01

    Ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation can be challenging, often involving not only pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) but also additional linear lesions and ablation of complex fractionated electrograms (CFE). We examined the impact of stepwise ablation on a human model of advanced atrial substrate of persistent atrial fibrillation in heart failure. In 30 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%, high-density CFE maps were recorded biatrially at baseline, in the left atrium (LA) after PVI and linear lesions (roof and mitral isthmus), and biatrially after LA CFE ablation. Surface area of CFE (mean cycle length ≤120 ms) remote to PVI and linear lesions, defined as CFE area, was reduced after PVI (18.3±12.03 to 10.2±7.1 cm(2); Patrial CFE area was reduced by LA ablation, from 25.9±14.1 to 12.9±11.8 cm(2) (Patrial CFE area. Reduction of CFE area at sites remote from ablation would suggest either regression of the advanced atrial substrate or that these CFE were functional phenomena. Nevertheless, in an advanced atrial fibrillation substrate, linear lesions after PVI diminished the target area for CFE ablation, and complete lesions resulted in a favorable clinical outcome.

  2. SECONDARY PREVENTION OF STROKE IN PATIENTS WITH NON-VALVULAR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION: THE CLINICIANS’ VIEWPOINT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. A. Drozdova

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation is one of the main risk factor of ischemic stroke. Current problems of the management of patients with stroke due to non-valvular atrial fibrillation and secondary stroke prevention in these patients are considered. Data of own author’s observation for patients of this type during 6 months after discharge from the hospital are presented. The problems which patients faced with are analyzed. Comparative assessment of warfarin and dabigatran therapies is given.

  3. Management and prognosis of atrial fibrillation in diabetic patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fumagalli, Stefano; Said, Salah A; Laroche, Cecile

    2017-01-01

    Aims: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most important cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical correlates of DM, including management and outcomes, in the EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) - Atrial Fibrillation (AF) General Pilot (EORP-AF) Regi...

  4. The role of atrial fibrillation on mortality and morbidity in patients with ischaemic stroke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cogen, E.E.; Tombul, T.; Yildirim, G.; Odabas, F.O.; Sayin, R.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the impact of atrial fibrillation on mortality and morbidity in ischaemic stroke patients. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at the Neurology Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey, and comprised records of ischaemic stroke patients hospitalised between January 2006 and September 2009. SPSS 13 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 404 patients in the study, 69 (17.1%) had atrial fibrilation. The mean age of such patients was 66.78+9-12.23 years compared to 61.01+-15.11 years for the rest. Besides 47 (68.1%) of these patients were females. According to the modified Rankin Scale scores, the degree of disability was significantly higher at the time of arrival and discharge, and mortality rates were significantly higher also (p<0.01). Conclusion: Atrial fibrillation affected the prognosis of ischaemic stroke adversely in terms of mortality and morbidity. (author)

  5. The role of atrial fibrillation on mortality and morbidity in patients with ischaemic stroke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cogen, E.E.; Tmbul, T.; Yildirim, G.; Sayin, R.

    2013-01-01

    To investigate the impact of atrial fibrillation on mortality and morbidity in ischaemic stroke patients. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at the Neurology Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey, and comprised records of ischaemic stroke patients hospitalised between January 2006 and September 2009. SPSS 13 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 404 patients in the study, 69 (17.1%) had atrial fibrilation. The mean age of such patients was 66.78+-12.23 years compared to 61.01+-15.11 years for the rest. Besides 47 (68.1%) of these patients were females. According to the modified Rankin Scale scores, the degree of disability was significantly higher at the time of arrival and discharge, and mortality rates were significantly higher also (p<0.01). Conclusion: Atrial fibrillation affected the prognosis of ischaemic stroke adversely in terms of mortality and morbidity. (author)

  6. Novel approaches for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation: Time for a guideline revision?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Nicola De Cecco

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Carlo Nicola De Cecco1,2, Vitaliano Buffa1, Vincenzo David2, Stefano Fedeli11Department of Cardiovascular Radiology, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, 2Department of Radiological Sciences, University of Rome, St Andrea Hospital, Rome, ItalyAbstract: Atrial fibrillation is a major health problem in Western countries, and is associated with considerable morbidity and resource consumption. Safe and reliable surgical techniques for the termination of this arrhythmia have been developed since the time of the original Cox “maze I” procedure. Novel equipment based on radiofrequency and microwave technologies can be employed to create transmural atrial lesions, even in the context of minimally invasive surgery to the atrioventricular valves via right minithoracotomy. The aim of this paper is to review the recent literature on this approach, and the clinical results in terms of arrhythmia termination and postoperative morbidity. With the aim to substantiate the practice of a simple, yet reliable, surgical ablation during minimally invasive heart valve surgery, we discuss the results of different patterns of atrial lesions having different degrees of surgical complexity. Finally, minimally invasive epicardial ablation for lone atrial fibrillation represents an emerging surgical indication. The results of state-of-the-art transcatheter ablation represent now its benchmark of comparison.Keywords: atrial fibrillation, surgery, minimally invasive, outcomes

  7. Left Atrial Sphericity Index Predicts Early Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Direct-Current Cardioversion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Osmanagic, Armin; Möller, Sören; Osmanagic, Azra

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Attempts to achieve rhythm control using direct-current cardioversion (DCC) are common in those with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Although often successful, AF recurs within 1 month in as many as 57% of patients. The aim of this study was to assess whether a baseline left atri...

  8. Percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage with Watchman device: An option for patients with atrial fibrilation and high risk of bleeding with anticoagulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sénior, Juan

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia found in clinical practice, with a population prevalence of 1% to 2%. Anticoagulation remains a fundamental part of treatment for the prevention of cerebrovascular events (stroke, but it is contraindicated in approximately 20% of patients. We report a case of non-valvular atrial fibrillation with high-risk score for stroke, a history of intracerebral bleeding, and very high risk of bleeding with long-term anticoagulation. Percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage with the Watchman device was performed successfully without complications.

  9. The Current Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christou, Georgios A; Christou, Konstantinos A; Korantzopoulos, Panagiotis; Rizos, Evangelos C; Nikas, Dimitrios N; Goudevenos, John A

    2015-09-22

    The main dietary source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) is fish, which contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the present manuscript, we aimed to review the current evidence regarding the clinical role of n-3 PUFA in the prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) and the possible underlying mechanisms. A literature search based on PubMed listings was performed using "Omega-3 fatty acids" and "atrial fibrilation" as key search terms. n-3 PUFA have been shown to attenuate structural atrial remodeling, prolong atrial effective refractory period through the prevention of reentry and suppress ectopic firing from pulmonary veins. Dietary fish intake has been found to have no effect on the incidence of AF in the majority of studies. Circulating DHA has been consistently reported to be inversely associated with AF risk, whereas EPA has no such effect. The majority of studies investigating the impact of n-3 PUFA supplementation on the incidence of AF following cardiac surgery reported no benefit, though most of them did not use n-3 PUFA pretreatment for adequate duration. Studies using adequate four-week pretreatment with n-3 PUFA before cardioversion of AF showed a reduction of the AF incidence. Although n-3 PUFA have antiarrhythmogenic properties, their clinical efficacy on the prevention of AF is not consistently supported. Further well-designed studies are needed to overcome the limitations of the existing studies and provide robust conclusions.

  10. Beat-to-beat assessment of left ventricular ejection in atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benjelloun, H.; Brochier, M.; Itti, R.; Philippe, L.; Lorgeron, J.M.

    1983-01-01

    Beat-to-beat left ventricular ejection was evaluated in a group of 20 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation using a computerized single probe detector. The reference group consisted of 10 patients with sinus rhythm. For each patient 30 successive cardiac cycles were analyzed and the relative variations of four parameters were assessed: R-R interval, diastolic and systolic time intervals, and ejection amplitude, corresponding to the left ventricular stroke volume. The mean variations were respectively 3.4%, 10.4%, 8.4%, and 11.8% in patients with sinus rhythm, and 21.9%, 37.9%, 10.6% and 30.5% in patients with artrial fibrillation. This demonstrates that changes in ejection are mainly related to the duration of the filling phase, with nearly constant systolic times. Correlations between R-R intervals and systolic ejection amplitudes were highly significant (P<0.001) in patients with atrial fibrillation in 85% of cases. This information complements the average ejection fraction obtained from multiple cycle superimposition. (orig.)

  11. Beat-to-beat assessment of left ventricular ejection in atrial fibrillation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benjelloun, H; Brochier, M; Itti, R; Philippe, L; Lorgeron, J M

    1983-05-01

    Beat-to-beat left ventricular ejection was evaluated in a group of 20 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation using a computerized single probe detector. The reference group consisted of 10 patients with sinus rhythm. For each patient 30 successive cardiac cycles were analyzed and the relative variations of four parameters were assessed: R-R interval, diastolic and systolic time intervals, and ejection amplitude, corresponding to the left ventricular stroke volume. The mean variations were respectively 3.4%, 10.4%, 8.4%, and 11.8% in patients with sinus rhythm, and 21.9%, 37.9%, 10.6% and 30.5% in patients with artrial fibrillation. This demonstrates that changes in ejection are mainly related to the duration of the filling phase, with nearly constant systolic times. Correlations between R-R intervals and systolic ejection amplitudes were highly significant (P<0.001) in patients with atrial fibrillation in 85% of cases. This information complements the average ejection fraction obtained from multiple cycle superimposition.

  12. Detection of Atrial Fibrillation Using Artifical Neural Network with Power Spectrum Density of RR Interval of Electrocardiogram

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afdala, Adfal; Nuryani, Nuryani; Satrio Nugroho, Anto

    2017-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a disorder of the heart with fairly high mortality in adults. AF is a common heart arrythmia which is characterized by a missing or irregular contraction of atria. Therefore, finding a method to detect atrial fibrillation is necessary. In this article a system to detect atrial fibrillation has been proposed. Detection system utilized backpropagation artifical neural network. Data input in this method includes power spectrum density of R-peaks interval of electrocardiogram which is selected by wrapping method. This research uses parameter learning rate, momentum, epoch and hidden layer. System produces good performance with accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 83.55%, 86.72 % and 81.47 %, respectively.

  13. Vitamin C in prevention of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft: double blind randomized clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoodreza Sarzaeem

    2014-03-01

    Conclusion: Vitamin C is relatively safe, inexpensive, well tolerated and has a low complication. According to the 44% reduction in the incidence of atrial fibrillation in vitamin C patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, this drug can be prescribed as a prophylaxis for prevention of post-CABG atrial fibrillation.

  14. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING WARFARIN DOSE TITRATION IN PATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DEPENDING ON CLINICAL FACTORS

    OpenAIRE

    E. L. Artanova; E. V. Saleeva; I. M. Sokolov; Y. G. Shvarts

    2011-01-01

    Aim. To study the relations of clinical characteristics and individual warfarin dose titration in patients with atrial fibrillation. Material and methods. Period of warfarin dose titration was analyzed in 68 patients with atrial fibrillation due to ischemic heart disease. Adjusted warfarin dose in milligram, duration of dose titration in days and maximal international normalized ratio (INR) were taken into account. Sex, age, history of myocardial infarction and stroke, concomitant diseases, a...

  15. Effect of lipid lowering on new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bang, Casper N; Greve, Anders; Boman, Kurt

    2012-01-01

    Lipid-lowering drugs, particularly statins, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may prevent atrial fibrillation (AF). This effect has not been investigated on new-onset AF in asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis (AS).......Lipid-lowering drugs, particularly statins, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may prevent atrial fibrillation (AF). This effect has not been investigated on new-onset AF in asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis (AS)....

  16. Long-term biatrial recordings in post-operative atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masè, M; Graffigna, A; Sinelli, S; Pallaoro, G; Nollo, G; Ravelli, F

    2010-01-01

    Although atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication of cardiac surgery, its pathophysiology remains unclear. The study of post-operative AF demands for the recording of cardiac electrical activity in correspondence of AF onset and progression. Long-term recordings in post-surgery patients could provide this information, but, to date, have been limited to surface signals, which precludes a characterization of the arrhythmic triggers and substrate. In this study we demonstrate the feasibility of a continuous long-term recording of atrial electrical activities from the right and left atria in post-surgery patients. Local atrial epicardial electrograms are acquired by positioning temporary pacing wires in the right and left atria at the end of the intervention, while three day recordings are obtained by a digital holter recorder, adapted to epicardial signal features. The capability of the system to map local atrial activity and the possibility to obtain quantitative information on atrial rate and synchronization from the processed epicardial signals are proven in representative examples. The quantitative description of local atrial properties opens new perspective in the investigation of post-surgery AF.

  17. P-wave duration and the risk of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jonas B; Kühl, Jørgen T; Pietersen, Adrian

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Results on the association between P-wave duration and the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) are conflicting. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to obtain a detailed description of the relationship between P-wave duration and the risk of AF. METHODS: Using computerized analysis o...

  18. Three-dimensional atrial wall thickness maps to inform catheter ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bishop, Martin; Rajani, Ronak; Plank, Gernot; Gaddum, Nicholas; Carr-White, Gerry; Wright, Matt; O'Neill, Mark; Niederer, Steven

    2016-03-01

    Transmural lesion formation is critical to success in atrial fibrillation ablation and is dependent on left atrial wall thickness (LAWT). Pre- and peri-procedural planning may benefit from LAWT measurements. To calculate the LAWT, the Laplace equation was solved over a finite element mesh of the left atrium derived from the segmented computed tomographic angiography (CTA) dataset. Local LAWT was then calculated from the length of field lines derived from the Laplace solution that spanned the wall from the endocardium or epicardium. The method was validated on an atrium phantom and retrospectively applied to 10 patients who underwent routine coronary CTA for standard clinical indications at our institute. The Laplace wall thickness algorithm was validated on the left atrium phantom. Wall thickness measurements had errors of atrial wall thickness measurements were performed on 10 patients. Successful comprehensive LAWT maps were generated in all patients from the coronary CTA images. Mean LAWT measurements ranged from 0.6 to 1.0 mm and showed significant inter and intra patient variability. Left atrial wall thickness can be measured robustly and efficiently across the whole left atrium using a solution of the Laplace equation over a finite element mesh of the left atrium. Further studies are indicated to determine whether the integration of LAWT maps into pre-existing 3D anatomical mapping systems may provide important anatomical information for guiding radiofrequency ablation. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: a multi-cohort study

    OpenAIRE

    Kivimaki, M.; Nyberg, S. T.; Batty, G. D.; Kawachi, I.; Jokela, M.; Alfredsson, L.; Bjorner, J. B.; Borritz, M.; Burr, H.; Dragano, N.; Fransson, E. I.; Heikkila, K.; Knutsson, A.; Koskenvuo, M.; Kumari, M.

    2017-01-01

    AIMS: Studies suggest that people who work long hours are at increased risk of stroke, but the association of long working hours with atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a risk factor for stroke, is unknown. We examined the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals working long hours (≥55 per week) and those working standard 35–40 h/week. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this prospective multi-cohort study from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-analysis in Work...

  20. Catheter Ablation versus Thoracoscopic Surgical Ablation in Long Standing Persistent Atrial Fibrillation (CASA-AF): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Habib Rehman; Kralj-Hans, Ines; Haldar, Shouvik; Bahrami, Toufan; Clague, Jonathan; De Souza, Anthony; Francis, Darrel; Hussain, Wajid; Jarman, Julian; Jones, David Gareth; Mediratta, Neeraj; Mohiaddin, Raad; Salukhe, Tushar; Jones, Simon; Lord, Joanne; Murphy, Caroline; Kelly, Joanna; Markides, Vias; Gupta, Dhiraj; Wong, Tom

    2018-02-20

    Atrial fibrillation is the commonest arrhythmia which raises the risk of heart failure, thromboembolic stroke, morbidity and death. Pharmacological treatments of this condition are focused on heart rate control, rhythm control and reduction in risk of stroke. Selective ablation of cardiac tissues resulting in isolation of areas causing atrial fibrillation is another treatment strategy which can be delivered by two minimally invasive interventions: percutaneous catheter ablation and thoracoscopic surgical ablation. The main purpose of this trial is to compare the effectiveness and safety of these two interventions. Catheter Ablation versus Thoracoscopic Surgical Ablation in Long Standing Persistent Atrial Fibrillation (CASA-AF) is a prospective, multi-centre, randomised controlled trial within three NHS tertiary cardiovascular centres specialising in treatment of atrial fibrillation. Eligible adults (n = 120) with symptomatic, long-standing, persistent atrial fibrillation will be randomly allocated to either catheter ablation or thoracoscopic ablation in a 1:1 ratio. Pre-determined lesion sets will be delivered in each treatment arm with confirmation of appropriate conduction block. All patients will have an implantable loop recorder (ILR) inserted subcutaneously immediately following ablation to enable continuous heart rhythm monitoring for at least 12 months. The devices will be programmed to detect episodes of atrial fibrillation and atrial tachycardia ≥ 30 s in duration. The patients will be followed for 12 months, completing appropriate clinical assessments and questionnaires every 3 months. The ILR data will be wirelessly transmitted daily and evaluated every month for the duration of the follow-up. The primary endpoint in the study is freedom from atrial fibrillation and atrial tachycardia at the end of the follow-up period. The CASA-AF Trial is a National Institute for Health Research-funded study that will provide first-class evidence on the

  1. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: dynamics of the main antioxidant enzymes--superoxide dismutase and catalase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negreva, Mariya N; Penev, Atanas P; Georgiev, Svetoslav Zh; Aleksandrova, Albena A

    2014-01-01

    Researchers have a particularly strong interest in the mechanisms implicated in the clinical manifestation of atrial fibrillation. To examine dynamically the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (duration enzyme activity was determined by a spectrophotometric method. The average duration of atrial fibrillation episodes until the time of hospitalization was 8.14 hours (from 2 to 24 hours). During patient hospitalization the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase was considerably higher compared to that of the controls (8.46 +/- 0.26 vs 5.81 +/- 0.14 U/mg Hb; 7.36 +/- 0.25 vs 4.76 +/- 0.12 E240/min/mg Hb; P catalase remained increased (5.11 +/- 0.08 vs 4.76 +/- 0.12 E240/min/mg Hb, p catalase even in the early hours of clinical manifestation of the disorder, which then slowly decreased with the restoration of sinus rhythm. Therefore, we can conclude that changes in oxidative status are closely related to the disease and are probably a part of the intimate mechanisms related to its initiation and clinical course.

  2. Does an interdisciplinary outpatient atrial fibrillation (AF) clinic affect the number of acute AF admissions?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frydensberg, Vivi Skibdal; Brandes, Axel

    2018-01-01

    AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF-clinic) on the number of acute hospitalizations for atrial fibrillation compared with usual outpatient care for this condition before the establishment of the AF-clinic....... BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend a structured outpatient clinic follow-up in multidisciplinary teams for patients with atrial fibrillation due to fewer hospitalizations and death. However the evidence base is weak. DESIGN: The study is a retrospective cohort study including a total of 129 patients from...... the cardiac outpatient clinic at a large Danish University Hospital. The study population consisted of two groups: a usual care group before a dedicated AF-clinic was established (n=73) and the AF-clinic group (n=56). The primary endpoint was acute hospitalization for AF. METHODS: Cox regression was used...

  3. Visualisation during ablation of atrial fibrillation - stimulating the patient's own resources

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørgaard, Marianne W; Pedersen, Preben U; Bjerrum, Merete

    2014-01-01

    management. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate patients' experiences with visualisation in relation to pain and anxiety during an intervention consisting of visualisation, when undergoing ablation of atrial fibrillation. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 patients from...... a study population of a clinical controlled study with 147 patients. The transcribed interviews were analysed according to qualitative methodology of inductive content analysis. FINDINGS: Four categories emerged from the interviews: 'approach to visualisation'; 'strategies of managing pain'; 'strategies...... in managing pain and anxiety. Our findings indicate that visualisation for acute pain during ablation of atrial fibrillation was associated not only with a decrease in experience of pain but also with high levels of treatment satisfaction and other non-pain-related benefits....

  4. Overweight and obesity in patients with atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boriani, Giuseppe; Laroche, Cécile; Diemberger, Igor

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The impact of overweight and obesity on outcomes in "real world" patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is not fully defined. Second, sex differences in AF outcomes may also exist. METHODS AND RESULTS: The aim was to investigate outcomes at 1-year follow-up for AF patients enrolled...... a normal BMI, 1084(42.7%) were overweight and 736(29.0%) were obese. Obese patients were younger and with more prevalent diabetes mellitus and hypertension (p ... in the EORP-AF Registry, according to BMI (kg/m2 ), comparing patients with normal BMI (18.5 to obesity (≥30 kg/m2 ), in relation to sex differences. Among 2,540 EORP AF patients (38.9% female; median age 69) with 1 year follow-up data available, 720(28.3%) had...

  5. Lost life years attributable to stroke among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a nationwide population-based follow-up study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frost, Lars; Andersen, Ljubica; Johnsen, Søren Paaske

    2007-01-01

    Registry of Patients from calendar year 1980 to 2002, and no previous or concomitant diagnosis of stroke or heart valve disease. All patients were followed in the Danish National Registry of Patients for occurrence of an incident diagnosis of stroke of any type (ischemic and/or hemorrhagic......AIM: We assessed the number of lost life years attributable to stroke among patients with a hospital diagnosis of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. METHODS: We identified all patients, aged 40-89 years, with an incident hospital diagnosis of atrial fibrillation or flutter in the Danish National...... lost life years by sex, age, and time to incident stroke after diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, adjusted for conditions of comorbidity and calendar year of diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. RESULTS: The mean loss of life years attributable to incident stroke within 20 years after a first diagnosis...

  6. Out-of-range INR values and outcomes among new warfarin patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Winnie W; Wang, Li; Baser, Onur; Damaraju, Chandrasekharrao V; Schein, Jeffrey R

    2015-02-01

    Although efficacious in stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, many warfarin patients are sub-optimally managed. To evaluate the association of international normalized ratio control and clinical outcomes among new warfarin patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Adult non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients (≥18 years) initiating warfarin treatment were selected from the US Veterans Health Administration dataset between 10/2007 and 9/2012. Valid international normalized ratio values were examined from the warfarin initiation date through the earlier of the first clinical outcome, end of warfarin exposure or death. Each patient contributed multiple in-range and out-of-range time periods. The relative risk ratios of clinical outcomes associated with international normalized ratio control were estimated. 34,346 patients were included for analysis. During the warfarin exposure period, the incidence of events per 100 person-years was highest when patients had international normalized ratio 3, patients had significantly increased risk of major bleeding (relative risk ratio: 1.5; 95 % confidence interval 1.2-2.0). In a Veterans Health Administration non-valvular atrial fibrillation population, exposure to out-of-range international normalized ratio values was associated with significantly increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes.

  7. The complexity of atrial fibrillation newly diagnosed after ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack: advances and uncertainties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerasuolo, Joshua O.; Cipriano, Lauren E.; Sposato, Luciano A.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose of review Atrial fibrillation is being increasingly diagnosed after ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA). Patient characteristics, frequency and duration of paroxysms, and the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke associated with atrial fibrillation detected after stroke and TIA (AFDAS) may differ from atrial fibrillation already known before stroke occurrence. We aim to summarize major recent advances in the field, in the context of prior evidence, and to identify areas of uncertainty to be addressed in future research. Recent findings Half of all atrial fibrillations in ischemic stroke and TIA patients are AFDAS, and most of them are asymptomatic. Over 50% of AFDAS paroxysms last less than 30 s. The rapid initiation of cardiac monitoring and its duration are crucial for its timely and effective detection. AFDAS comprises a heterogeneous mix of atrial fibrillation, possibly including cardiogenic and neurogenic types, and a mix of both. Over 25 single markers and at least 10 scores have been proposed as predictors of AFDAS. However, there are considerable inconsistencies across studies. The role of AFDAS burden and its associated risk of stroke recurrence have not yet been investigated. Summary AFDAS may differ from atrial fibrillation known before stroke in several clinical dimensions, which are important for optimal patient care strategies. Many questions remain unanswered. Neurogenic and cardiogenic AFDAS need to be characterized, as it may be possible to avoid some neurogenic cases by initiating timely preventive treatments. AFDAS burden may differ in ischemic stroke and TIA patients, with distinctive diagnostic and treatment implications. The prognosis of AFDAS and its risk of recurrent stroke are still unknown; therefore, it is uncertain whether AFDAS patients should be treated with oral anticoagulants. PMID:27984303

  8. Role of Echocardiography in the Management and Prognosis of Atrial Fibrillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silverman, David I; Ayirala, Srilatha R; Manning, Warren J

    2012-01-01

    Echocardiography plays a longstanding and vital role in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF). Advances in 2D imaging, Doppler echocardiography and strain imaging have all contributed to major progress in AF treatment. Echocardiographically measured left atrial (LA) volume is a powerful predictor of maintenance of sinus rhythm following cardioversion as well as risk of thrombus formation and thromboembolism. Doppler derived parameters of atrial mechanical function including atrial ejection force provide related prognostic information. Transesophageal echocardiocardiograpy (TEE) guided cardioversion of AF allows for rapid conversion to sinus rhythm without prolonged oral anticoagulation, and TEE serves as a useful tool during catheter ablation of AF and atrial flutter. Newer measures derived from speckle tracking offer great promise in further improving the care of patients with AF. PMID:28496715

  9. Incidence and predictors of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation in patients older than 70 years with complete atrioventricular block and dual chamber pacemaker implantation.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Radeljic, Vjekoslav

    2012-01-31

    AIM: To evaluate predictors of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation in patients older than 70 years with complete atrioventricular (AV) block, normal left ventricular systolic function, and implanted dual chamber (DDD) pacemaker. METHODS: Hundred and eighty six patients with complete AV block were admitted over one year to the Sisters of Mercy University Hospital. The study recruited patients older than 70 years, with no history of atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or reduced left ventricular systolic function. All the patients were implanted with the same pacemaker. Out of 103 patients who were eligible for the study, 81 (78%) were evaluated. Among those 81 (78%) were evaluated. Eighty one (78%) patients were evaluated. Follow-up time ranged from 12 to 33 months (average +\\/-standard deviation 23 +\\/- 5 months). Primary end-point was asymptomatic atrial fibrillation occurrence recorded by the pacemaker. Atrial fibrillation occurrence was defined as atrial high rate episodes (AHRE) lasting >5 minutes. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of development of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation. Results. The 81 patients were stratified into two groups depending on the presence of AHRE lasting >5 minutes (group 1 had AHRE>5 minutes and group 2 AHRE<5 minutes). AHRE lasting >5 minutes were detected in 49 (60%) patients after 3 months and in 53 (65%) patients after 18 moths. After 3 months, only hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 17.63; P = 0.020) was identified as a predictor of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation. After 18 months, hypertension (OR, 14.0; P = 0.036), P wave duration >100 ms in 12 lead ECG (OR, 16.5; P = 0.001), and intracardial atrial electrogram signal amplitude >4 mV (OR, 4.27; P = 0.045) were identified as predictors of atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSION: In our study population, hypertension was the most robust and constant predictor of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation after 3 months, while P wave duration >100 ms in 12-lead ECG and

  10. Accuracy of methods for detecting an irregular pulse and suspected atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taggar, Jaspal S; Coleman, Tim; Lewis, Sarah; Heneghan, Carl; Jones, Matthew

    2016-08-01

    Pulse palpation has been recommended as the first step of screening to detect atrial fibrillation. We aimed to determine and compare the accuracy of different methods for detecting pulse irregularities caused by atrial fibrillation. We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and LILACS until 16 March 2015. Two reviewers identified eligible studies, extracted data and appraised quality using the QUADAS-2 instrument. Meta-analysis, using the bivariate hierarchical random effects method, determined average operating points for sensitivities, specificities, positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR, NLR); we constructed summary receiver operating characteristic plots. Twenty-one studies investigated 39 interventions (n = 15,129 pulse assessments) for detecting atrial fibrillation. Compared to 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) diagnosed atrial fibrillation, blood pressure monitors (BPMs; seven interventions) and non-12-lead ECGs (20 interventions) had the greatest accuracy for detecting pulse irregularities attributable to atrial fibrillation (BPM: sensitivity 0.98 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92-1.00), specificity 0.92 (95% CI 0.88-0.95), PLR 12.1 (95% CI 8.2-17.8) and NLR 0.02 (95% CI 0.00-0.09); non-12-lead ECG: sensitivity 0.91 (95% CI 0.86-0.94), specificity 0.95 (95% CI 0.92-0.97), PLR 20.1 (95% CI 12-33.7), NLR 0.09 (95% CI 0.06-0.14)). There were similar findings for smartphone applications (six interventions) although these studies were small in size. The sensitivity and specificity of pulse palpation (six interventions) were 0.92 (95% CI 0.85-0.96) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.76-0.88), respectively (PLR 5.2 (95% CI 3.8-7.2), NLR 0.1 (95% CI 0.05-0.18)). BPMs and non-12-lead ECG were most accurate for detecting pulse irregularities caused by atrial fibrillation; other technologies may therefore be pragmatic alternatives to pulse palpation for the first step of atrial fibrillation screening. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

  11. Apixaban: Effective and Safe in Preventing Thromboembolic Events in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Renal Failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortese, Francesca; Scicchitano, Pietro; Gesualdo, Michele; Ricci, Gabriella; Carbonara, Santa; Franchini, Carlo; Pia Schiavone, Brigida Immacolata; Corbo, Filomena; Ciccone, Marco Matteo

    2017-11-17

    Thromboembolic events, principally stroke, represent one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among subjects with atrial fibrillation. Chronic kidney disease determines a further increase of thromboembolic events, bleeding and mortality and complicates the pharmacological management of patients with atrial fibrillation, mainly due to the side effects of antiarrhythmic and anticoagulant drugs with renal excretion. Apixaban is a new oral anticoagulant characterized by good bioavailability and renal elimination accounting for only 25%, showing a safety profile and effectiveness in patients with renal impairment. In this manuscript, we reviewed literature data on the use of apixaban in the management of non-valvular atrial fibrillation in patients with renal failure, in order to clarify an often-debated topic in clinical practice. A PubMed search was performed on the terms atrial fibrillation, apixaban and renal failure with the aim of identifying relevant manuscripts, large randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, and current guidelines. Literature data show that apixaban could represent an interesting alternative to warfarin and other selective antagonists of coagulation factors in patients with impaired renal function. About the risk of major bleeding, apixaban appears to be safer than warfarin in the presence of any degree of renal failure. Apixaban show to be an effective anticoagulant in patients with atrial fibrillation, even superior to warfarin in reducing the risk of stroke and systemic embolism regardless of the presence of renal insufficiency. Moreover, Food and Drug Administration allows the use of apixaban in patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  12. Fenofibrate inhibits atrial metabolic remodelling in atrial fibrillation through PPAR-α/sirtuin 1/PGC-1α pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Guang-Zhong; Hou, Ting-Ting; Yuan, Yue; Hang, Peng-Zhou; Zhao, Jing-Jing; Sun, Li; Zhao, Guan-Qi; Zhao, Jing; Dong, Jing-Mei; Wang, Xiao-Bing; Shi, Hang; Liu, Yong-Wu; Zhou, Jing-Hua; Dong, Zeng-Xiang; Liu, Yang; Zhan, Cheng-Chuang; Li, Yue; Li, Wei-Min

    2016-03-01

    Atrial metabolic remodelling is critical for the process of atrial fibrillation (AF). The PPAR-α/sirtuin 1 /PPAR co-activator α (PGC-1α) pathway plays an important role in maintaining energy metabolism. However, the effect of the PPAR-α agonist fenofibrate on AF is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of fenofibrate on atrial metabolic remodelling in AF and explore its possible mechanisms of action. The expression of metabolic proteins was examined in the left atria of AF patients. Thirty-two rabbits were divided into sham, AF (pacing with 600 beats·min(-1) for 1 week), fenofibrate treated (pretreated with fenofibrate before pacing) and fenofibrate alone treated (for 2 weeks) groups. HL-1 cells were subjected to rapid pacing in the presence or absence of fenofibrate, the PPAR-α antagonist GW6471 or sirtuin 1-specific inhibitor EX527. Metabolic factors, circulating biochemical metabolites, atrial electrophysiology, adenine nucleotide levels and accumulation of glycogen and lipid droplets were assessed. The PPAR-α/sirtuin 1/PGC-1α pathway was significantly inhibited in AF patients and in the rabbit/HL-1 cell models, resulting in a reduction of key downstream metabolic factors; this effect was significantly restored by fenofibrate. Fenofibrate prevented the alterations in circulating biochemical metabolites, reduced the level of adenine nucleotides and accumulation of glycogen and lipid droplets, reversed the shortened atrial effective refractory period and increased risk of AF. Fenofibrate inhibited atrial metabolic remodelling in AF by regulating the PPAR-α/sirtuin 1/PGC-1α pathway. The present study may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for AF. © 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.

  13. LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE CLOSURE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO WARFARIN FOR STROKE PREVENTION IN ATRIAL FIBRILLATION: A PATIENT¬LEVEL META¬ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Holmes D.R. Jr, Doshi S.K., Kar S., et al. Left Atrial Appendage Closure as an Alternative to Warfarin for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: A Patient­Level Meta­Analysis // J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. – 2015. – Vol. 65. – P. 2614–2623.

  14. New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation Is a Predictor of Subsequent Hyperthyroidism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Selmer, Christian; Hansen, Morten Lock; Olesen, Jonas Bjerring

    2013-01-01

    To examine the long-term risk of hyperthyroidism in patients admitted to hospital with new-onset AF. Hyperthyroidism is a well-known risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), but it is unknown whether new-onset AF predicts later-occurring hyperthyroidism....

  15. Heart-specific overexpression of (pro)renin receptor induces atrial fibrillation in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lian, Hong; Wang, Xiaojian; Wang, Juan; Liu, Ning; Zhang, Li; Lu, Yingdong; Yang, Yanmin; Zhang, Lianfeng

    2015-04-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, causing substantial cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been shown to be involved in the pathophysiology of AF. The (pro)renin receptor [(p)RR] is the last identified member of RAS. However, the role of (p)RR in AF is still unknown. Circulating levels of (p)RR were determined using an immunosorbent assay in 22 patients with AF (paroxysmal or persistent) and 22 healthy individuals. The plasma levels of (p)RR increased 3.6-fold in AF patients (Patrial flutter since 2 months, then spontaneously converted to atrial fibrillation by 10 months. The atria of the transgenic mice demonstrated significant dilation and fibrosis, and exhibited a high incidence of sudden death. Additionally, the genes of SERCA and HCN4, which are involved in the electrophysiology of AF, were significantly down-regulated and up-regulated respectively in transgenic mice atria. The phosphorylation of Erk1/2 significantly increased in the atria of the transgenic mice, and the activated Erk1/2 was found predominantly in cardiac fibroblasts, suggesting that the transgenic (p)RR gene may induce atrial fibrillation by activation of Erk1/2 in the cardiac fibroblasts of the atria. (p)RR promotes atrial structural and electrical remodeling in vivo, which indicates that (p)RR plays an important role in the pathological development of AF. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  16. ABO blood groups: A risk factor for left atrial and left atrial appendage thrombogenic milieu in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Yuan; Li, Kuibao; Yang, Xinchun

    2017-08-01

    Previous studies have identified ABO blood groups as predictors of thromboembolic diseases. In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), however, potential association between ABO blood groups and the risk of left atrial (LA) and/or left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombogenic milieu (TM) has not been established. This is a retrospective case-control study that included 125 consecutive patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) plus TM, as evidenced by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) during a period from1 January 2010 to 31 December 2016. The controls were selected randomly from 1072 NVAF without TM at a 1:2 ratio. Potential association between ABO blood groups and TM was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The risk of TM was higher in patients with blood group A (33.6% vs. 20.2% in non-A blood groups, P=0.005). After adjusting for age, sex, oral anticoagulant use, AF type and duration, and relevant functional measures (e.g., NT-pro BNP level, left atrium diameter, and left ventricular ejection fraction), blood group A remained associated with an increased risk of TM (OR=2.99, 95% CI 1.4-6.388, P=0.005). Blood group A is an independent risk factor for TM in NVAF patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Echocardiographic Risk Factors for Stroke and Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Anticoagulated With Apixaban or Warfarin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinereanu, Dragos; Lopes, Renato D; Mulder, Hillary; Gersh, Bernard J; Hanna, Michael; de Barros E Silva, Pedro G M; Atar, Dan; Wallentin, Lars; Granger, Christopher B; Alexander, John H

    2017-12-01

    Few data exist on the long-term outcomes of patients with spontaneous echo contrast (SEC), left atrial/left atrial appendage (LA/LAA) thrombus, and complex aortic plaque (CAP), in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving oral anticoagulation. We explored the relationship between these 3 echocardiographic findings and clinical outcomes, and the comparative efficacy and safety of apixaban and warfarin for each finding. Patients from the ARISTOTLE trial (Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation) with SEC, LA/LAA thrombus, or CAP diagnosed by either transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography were compared with patients with none of these findings on transesophageal echocardiography. A total of 1251 patients were included: 217 had SEC, 127 had LA/LAA thrombus, 241 had CAP, and 746 had none. The rates of stroke/systemic embolism were not significantly different among patients with and without these echocardiographic findings (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-3.60 for SEC; hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.23-6.86 for LA/LAA thrombus; hazard ratio, 2.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-6.85 for CAP). Rates of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death were also not different between patients with and without these findings. For patients with either SEC or CAP, there was no evidence of a differential effect of apixaban over warfarin. For patients with LA/LAA thrombus, there was also no significant interaction, with the exception of all-cause death and any bleeding where there was a greater benefit of apixaban compared with warfarin among patients with no LA/LAA thrombus. In anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation and risk factors for stroke, echocardiographic findings do not seem to add to the risk of thromboembolic events. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00412984. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  18. Clinical Benefit of Ablating Localized Sources for Human Atrial Fibrillation: The Indiana University FIRM Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, John M; Kalra, Vikas; Das, Mithilesh K; Jain, Rahul; Garlie, Jason B; Brewster, Jordan A; Dandamudi, Gopi

    2017-03-14

    Mounting evidence shows that localized sources maintain atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it is unclear in unselected "real-world" patients if sources drive persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF), long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (LPeAF), or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF); if right atrial sites are important; and what the long-term success of source ablation is. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of rotors and focal sources in a large academic registry of consecutive patients undergoing source mapping for AF. One hundred seventy consecutive patients (mean age 59 ± 12 years, 79% men) with PAF (37%), PeAF (31%), or LPeAF (32%). Of these, 73 (43%) had undergone at least 1 prior ablation attempt (mean 1.9 ± 0.8; range: 1 to 4). Focal impulse and rotor modulation (FIRM) with an endocardial basket catheter was used in all cases. FIRM analysis revealed sources in the right atrium in 85% of patients (1.8 ± 1.3) and in the left atrium in 90% of patients (2.0 ± 1.3). FIRM ablation terminated AF to sinus rhythm or atrial flutter or tachycardia in 59% (PAF), 37% (PeAF), and 19% (LPeAF) of patients, with 15 of 67 terminations due to right atrial ablation. On follow-up, freedom from AF after a single FIRM procedure for the entire series was 95% (PAF), 83% (PeAF), and 82% (LPeAF) at 1 year and freedom from all atrial arrhythmias was 77% (PAF), 75% (PeAF), and 57% (LPeAF). In the Indiana University FIRM registry, FIRM-guided ablation produced high single-procedure success, mostly in patients with nonparoxysmal AF. Data from mapping, acute terminations, and outcomes strongly support the mechanistic role of biatrial rotors and focal sources in maintaining AF in diverse populations. Randomized trials of FIRM-guided ablation and mechanistic studies to determine how rotors form, progress, and regress are needed. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Radiofrequency Ablation versus Cryoablation in the Treatment of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: A Meta-Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali H. Hachem

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Pulmonary vein isolation is commonly performed using radiofrequency energy with cryoablation gaining acceptance. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials which compared radiofrequency versus cryoablation for patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods. A systematic search strategy identified both published and unpublished articles from inception to November 10, 2016, in multiple databases. The primary outcomes for this meta-analysis were long-term freedom from atrial fibrillation at 12-month follow-up and overall postoperative complication rates. For all included studies, the methodological quality was assessed through the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for risk of bias. Results. A total of 247 articles were identified with eight being included in this review as they satisfied the prespecified inclusion criteria. Overall, there was no significant difference in freedom from atrial fibrillation at ≥12-month follow-up between those receiving cryoballoon and radiofrequency ablation, respectively (OR = 0.98, CI = 0.67–1.43, I2 = 56%, p=0.90. Additionally, the secondary outcomes of duration of ablation, fluoroscopy time, and ablation time failed to reach significance. Cryoballoon ablation had significantly greater odds of postoperative phrenic nerve injury at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions. Our meta-analysis suggests that cryoballoon ablation provides comparable benefits with regard to freedom from atrial fibrillation at medium-term follow-up, fluoroscopy time, ablation time, operative duration, and overall complication rate in comparison to radiofrequency ablation.

  20. Hyperleptinemia Exacerbates High-Fat Diet-Mediated Atrial Fibrosis and Fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukui, Akira; Ikebe-Ebata, Yuki; Kondo, Hidekazu; Saito, Shotaro; Aoki, Kohei; Fukunaga, Naoya; Shinohara, Tetsuji; Masaki, Takayuki; Teshima, Yasushi; Takahashi, Naohiko

    2017-06-01

    Obesity including metabolic syndrome is an independent risk factor of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although hyperleptinemia is usually a characteristic of obese subjects, the relationship with atrial fibrosis and AF is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperleptinemia exacerbates atrial fibrosis and AF. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 (WT) and leptin-deficient ob/ob (Ob) mice were treated with a normal-fat diet (NFD) or 60% HFD. After 8 weeks, transesophageal burst pacing and electrophysiological study using isolated perfused hearts were performed and left atrial (LA) tissues were collected for histological analysis, hydroxyproline assay, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. HFD treatment increased body weight in both WT and Ob mice compared with NFD (both P atrial fibrosis and AF. Inhibition of leptin signaling may become a novel therapeutic target to prevent obesity-related AF. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Ventricular rhythm in atrial fibrillation under anaesthetic infusion with propofol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cervigón, R; Moreno, J; Pérez-Villacastín, J; Reilly, R B; Castells, F

    2009-01-01

    Changes in patients' autonomic tone and specific pharmacologic interventions may modify the ventricular response (actual heart rate) during atrial fibrillation (AF). Hypnotic agents such as propofol may modify autonomic balance as they promote a sedative state. It has been shown that propofol slightly slows atrial fibrillatory activity, but the net global effect on the ventricular response remains unknown. We aimed to evaluate in patients in AF the effect of a propofol bolus on the ventricular rate and regularity at ECG. We analysed the possible relation with local atrial fibrillatory activities, as ratios between atrial and ventricular rates (AVRs), analysing atrial activity from intracardiac electrograms at the free wall of the right and left atria and at the interatrial septum. We compared data at the baseline and after complete hypnosis. Propofol was associated with a more homogeneous ventricular response and lower AVR values at the interatrial septum

  2. Acute Gastric Volvulus and Atrial Fibrillation with RVR: A Coincidence or Association

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omar Nadhem

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Gastric volvulus is a rare and life-threatening condition that involves the abnormal rotation of the stomach around its axis by more than 180°. The association between acute gastric volvulus and atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response is rare with only few cases that have been reported. Our patient was an 86-year-old female who presented with upper abdominal pain, distension, nausea, and shortness of breath. Clinical and laboratory workup revealed acute gastric volvulus with diaphragmatic hernia. On presentation, she was also in atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. She was successfully treated by laparotomy with reduction of the gastric volvulus and repair of the diaphragmatic hernia, with significant improvement.

  3. A roadmap to improve the quality of atrial fibrillation management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirchhof, Paulus; Breithardt, Günter; Bax, Jeroen

    2016-01-01

    . Hence, there are important unmet clinical and research needs in the evaluation and management of AF patients. The ensuing needs and opportunities for improving the quality of AF care were discussed during the fifth Atrial Fibrillation Network/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference...

  4. Biophysical aspects and novel treatments of atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gigli, Lorenzo; Rosa, Gian M; Tagliasacchi, Maria I; Bonaventura, Aldo; Liberale, Luca; Montecucco, Fabrizio; Carbone, Federico; Bertero, Giovanni; Brunelli, Claudio

    2017-04-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac arrhythmia caused by various mechanisms, such as multiple re-entering wavelets, high frequency activity, and rotor sources. This narrative review was based on papers found on PubMed and MEDLINE up to May 2016. The search terms were "atrial fibrillation" in combination with "catheter ablation, pathophysiology, antiarrhythmic drugs". Antiarrhythmic drugs are the cornerstone of therapy in AF, but their efficacy and safety might have to be improved. In case of failure of pharmacologic therapies, other treatments can be considered. A better understanding of the important role of the pulmonary veins has led to new approaches, such as ablation procedures, which were initially only surgical, while percutaneous options were later added. However, these strategies may present various technical complications also when performed by skilled operators. A promising field of investigation is the genetics of AF, as highlighted by studies on the role of micro-RNA. Relevant improvement on the knowledge of the electrophysiological basis of genesis and maintenance of AF has been done in order to treat a very common arrhythmia, but further studies, as those in the genetics field, can open new challenging therapeutic horizons.

  5. Comparing Bleeding Risk Assessment Focused on Modifiable Risk Factors Only Versus Validated Bleeding Risk Scores in Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guo, Yutao; Zhu, Hang; Chen, Yundai

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUNDThere is uncertainty whether a focus on modifiable bleeding risk factors offers better prediction of major bleeding than other existing bleeding risk scores.METHODSThis study compared a score based on numbers of the modifiable bleeding risk factors recommended in the 2016 European...... guidelines ("European risk score") versus other published bleeding risk scores that have been derived and validated in atrial fibrillation subjects (HEMORR2HAGES, HAS-BLED, ATRIA, and ORBIT) in a large hospital-based cohort of Chinese inpatients with atrial fibrillation.RESULTSThe European score had modest...... predictive ability for major bleeding (c-index 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.56-0.69) and intracranial hemorrhage (0.72, 0.65-0.79) but nonsignificantly (and poorly) predicted extracranial bleeding (0.55, 0.54-0.56; P = .361). The HAS-BLED score was superior to predict bleeding events compared...

  6. New-generation atrial antitachycardia pacing (Reactive ATP) is associated with reduced risk of persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation in patients with bradycardia: Results from the MINERVA randomized multicenter international trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    L. Padeletti (Luigi); H. Pürerfellner (Helmut); L. Mont (Lluis); R. Tukkie (Raymond); A.S. Manolis (Antonis S.); R. Ricci (Renato); G. Inama (Giuseppe); P. Serra (Paolo); M.G. Scheffer (Michael); V. Martins (Vitor); E.N. Warman (Eduardo N.); M. Vimercati (Marco); A. Grammatico (Andrea); G. Boriani

    2015-01-01

    textabstractBackground Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent comorbidity in patients with pacemaker and is a recognized cause of mortality, morbidity, and quality-of-life impairment. The international MINimizE Right Ventricular pacing to prevent Atrial fibrillation and heart failure trial

  7. The RecordAF study: design, baseline data, and profile of patients according to chosen treatment strategy for atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Le Heuzey, Jean-Yves; Breithardt, Günter; Camm, John

    2010-01-01

    The REgistry on Cardiac rhythm disORDers assessing the control of Atrial Fibrillation (RecordAF) is the first worldwide, 1-year observational, longitudinal study of the management of paroxysmal/persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) in recently diagnosed patients. The study was conducted at 532 sites...

  8. Study on the changes of serum levels of ANF in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia Xiaojie; Zan Qin; Yang Junfeng; Huang Yuantao; Cao Kejiang; Du Tongxing; Wang Zizheng

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To study the changes of serum levels of ANF in patients with atrial fibrillation and to explore the mechanism of the prethrombotic state induced by AF. Methods: Serum levels of ANF were measured with RIA in 21 patients with isolated paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (IPAF) both during and one week after termination of the attack. Levels were also measured in 28 patients with isolated sustained atrial fibrillation (ISAF), 27 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis associated with persistent AF (RHD), 32 patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) and 35 controls. Results: Serum levels of ANF and Hct% readings in: 1) patients with IPAF during attack 2) patients with ISAF and 3) patients with RHD were significantly higher than those in: 1) patients with IPAF one week after termination of the attack 2) patients with PSVT and 3) the controls (p<0.05). Values in patients with PSVT were not much different from those in controls. In patients with IPAF during the attack, serum ANF levels and Hct% readings were positively correlated to the duration of the attack. Serum ANF levels were not related to such parameters as: age, sex, mitral valve area, ejection fraction and inner diameter of left atrium. Conclusion: There is hemoconcentration in patients with atrial fibrillation, which is related to the hypersecretion of ANF in these patients

  9. Acute atrial fibrillation during dengue hemorrhagic fever

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henrique Horta Veloso

    Full Text Available Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Cardiac rhythm disorders, such as atrioventricular blocks and ventricular ectopic beats, appear during infection and are attributed to viral myocarditis. However, supraventricular arrhythmias have not been reported. We present a case of acute atrial fibrillation, with a rapid ventricular rate, successfully treated with intravenous amiodarone, in a 62-year-old man with dengue hemorrhagic fever, who had no structural heart disease.

  10. Acute atrial fibrillation during dengue hemorrhagic fever

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veloso Henrique Horta

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Cardiac rhythm disorders, such as atrioventricular blocks and ventricular ectopic beats, appear during infection and are attributed to viral myocarditis. However, supraventricular arrhythmias have not been reported. We present a case of acute atrial fibrillation, with a rapid ventricular rate, successfully treated with intravenous amiodarone, in a 62-year-old man with dengue hemorrhagic fever, who had no structural heart disease.

  11. Warfarin use and the risk of mortality, stroke, and bleeding in hemodialysis patients with atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kai, Brandon; Bogorad, Yuliya; Nguyen, Leigh-Anh N; Yang, Su-Jau; Chen, Wansu; Spencer, Hillard T; Shen, Albert Y-J; Lee, Ming-Sum

    2017-05-01

    The optimal management of stroke prophylaxis in hemodialysis patients with atrial fibrillation is controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of mortality, stroke, and bleeding associated with the use of warfarin in hemodialysis patients with atrial fibrillation. This was a retrospective, population-based study of hemodialysis patients with atrial fibrillation between January 1, 2006, and September 30, 2015. Association of warfarin use with mortality, stroke, and bleeding was determined by propensity score-matched, Cox proportional hazard models. Among the 4286 patients with atrial fibrillation on hemodialysis, 989 (23%) were prescribed warfarin. Propensity score matching was used to identify 888 matched pairs with similar baseline characteristics. Warfarin use was associated with lower risk of all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-0.84) and lower risk of ischemic stroke (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.52-0.91). Warfarin use was not associated with a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke (HR 1.2, 95% CI 0.6-2.2) or gastrointestinal bleeding (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.77-1.2). The treatment effect was largest in the group with the best international normalized ratio control as measured by time in therapeutic range. Subgroup analyses showed warfarin use was associated with survival benefit in most subgroups. The 2 subgroups that did not benefit were patients with a history of hemorrhagic stroke and patients with concurrent aspirin use. Warfarin use is associated with lower all-cause mortality and ischemic stroke, without significantly increasing the risk of bleeding in hemodialysis patients with atrial fibrillation. Copyright © 2017 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Ganglion Plexus Ablation in Advanced Atrial Fibrillation: The AFACT Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Driessen, Antoine H. G.; Berger, Wouter R.; Krul, Sébastien P. J.; van den Berg, Nicoline W. E.; Neefs, Jolien; Piersma, Femke R.; Chan Pin Yin, Dean R. P. P.; de Jong, Jonas S. S. G.; van Boven, WimJan P.; de Groot, Joris R.

    2016-01-01

    Patients with long duration of atrial fibrillation (AF), enlarged atria, or failed catheter ablation have advanced AF and may require more extensive treatment than pulmonary vein isolation. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of additional ganglion plexus (GP) ablation

  13. Left ventricular beat-to-beat performance in atrial fibrillation: Contribution of Frank-Starling mechanism after short rather than long intervals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gosselink, A.T.M.; Blanksma, P.K.; Crijns, H.J.G.M.; Gelder, I.C. van; Kam, P.J. de; Hillege, H.L.; Niemeijer, M.G.; Lie, K.I.; Meijler, F.L.

    1995-01-01

    This study sought to evaluate control mechanisms of the varying left ventricular performance in atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by a randomly irregular ventricular response, resulting in continuous variation in left ventricular beat-to-beat mechanical behavior and

  14. Alcohol consumption and risk of atrial fibrillation in men and women: the Copenhagen City Heart Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mukamal, KJ; Tolstrup, JS; Friberg, J

    2005-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The relationship of the full range of alcohol consumption with risk of incident atrial fibrillation has been inconsistent in previous, mainly case-control studies. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a prospective cohort study, we studied the association between self-reported alcohol use...... nationwide registry of all hospitalizations. A total of 1071 cases occurred during follow-up. Among both women and men, alcohol consumption throughout the moderate range was not associated with risk of atrial fibrillation. However, consumption of 35 or more drinks per week among men was associated...... not attenuate the association (hazard ratio 1.63; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.31). CONCLUSIONS: Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation, at least among men. This relationship does not appear to be related to the adverse effects of heavy drinking on coronary heart disease or blood...

  15. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING WARFARIN DOSE TITRATION IN PATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DEPENDING ON CLINICAL FACTORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. L. Artanova

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To study the relations of clinical characteristics and individual warfarin dose titration in patients with atrial fibrillation. Material and methods. Period of warfarin dose titration was analyzed in 68 patients with atrial fibrillation due to ischemic heart disease. Adjusted warfarin dose in milligram, duration of dose titration in days and maximal international normalized ratio (INR were taken into account. Sex, age, history of myocardial infarction and stroke, concomitant diseases, amiodarone therapy were considered among clinical characteristics. Results. Adjusted warfarin dose was significantly higher in obesity , and it was lower in case of experienced myocardial infarction. The INR highest levels and maximal amplitudes of its fluctuations were observed in patients with thyroid gland nodes and smokers. Period of warfarin dose titration was longer in patients treated with amiodarone. Conclusion. Warfarin dose titration in patients with atrial fibrillation depends on the presence of myocardial infarction, obesity , thyroid nodular changes, smoking and amiodarone treatment.

  16. Combinatorial release of dexamethasone and amiodarone from a nano-structured parylene-C film to reduce perioperative inflammation and atrial fibrillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Erik; Kaushal, Sunjay; Alaboson, Justice; Sharma, Sudhish; Belagodu, Amogh; Watkins, Claire; Walker, Brandon; Webster, Gregory; McCarthy, Patrick; Ho, Dean

    2016-02-01

    Suppressing perioperative inflammation and post-operative atrial fibrillation requires effective drug delivery platforms (DDP). Localized anti-inflammatory and anti-arrhythmic agent release may be more effective than intravenous treatment to improve patient outcomes. This study utilized a dexamethasone (DEX) and amiodarone (AMIO)-loaded Parylene-C (PPX) nano-structured film to inhibit inflammation and atrial fibrillation. The PPX film was tested in an established pericardial adhesion rabbit model. Following sternotomy, the anterior pericardium was resected and the epicardium was abraded. Rabbits were randomly assigned to five treatment groups: control, oxidized PPX (PPX-Oxd), PPX-Oxd infused with DEX (PPX-Oxd[DEX]), native PPX (PPX), and PPX infused with DEX and AMIO (PPX[AMIO, DEX]). 4 weeks post-sternotomy, pericardial adhesions were evaluated for gross adhesions using a 4-point grading system and histological evaluation for epicardial neotissue fibrosis (NTF). Atrial fibrillation duration and time per induction were measured. The PPX[AMIO, DEX] group had a significant reduction in mean adhesion score compared with the control group (control 2.75 +/- 0.42 vs. PPX[AMIO, DEX] 0.25 +/- 0.42, P atrial fibrillation was decreased in rabbits with PPX[AMIO, DEX] films compared to control (9.5 +/- 6.8 s vs. 187.6 +/- 174.7 s, p = 0.003). Time of atrial fibrillation per successful induction decreased among PPX[AMIO, DEX] films compared to control (2.8 +/- 1.2 s vs. 103.2 +/- 178 s, p = 0.004). DEX/AMIO-loaded PPX films are associated with reduced perioperative inflammation and a diminished atrial fibrillation duration. Epicardial application of AMIO, DEX films is a promising strategy to prevent post-operative cardiac complications.Suppressing perioperative inflammation and post-operative atrial fibrillation requires effective drug delivery platforms (DDP). Localized anti-inflammatory and anti-arrhythmic agent release may be more effective than intravenous treatment to

  17. Does perceived stress increase the risk of atrial fibrillation? A population-based cohort study in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Graff, Simon; Prior, Anders; Fenger-Grøn, Morten

    2017-01-01

    Background Psychological stress is associated with increased risk of acute cardiovascular diseases, as myocardial infarction. We recently found a higher risk of atrial fibrillation following an acute stressful life event, but it remains unknown whether this also applies to common and less acute....... Conclusions This large population-based cohort study did not reveal a higher risk of atrial fibrillation among persons with a high degree of perceived stress after adjustment for participants' baseline characteristics....

  18. Role of spiral wave pinning in inhomogeneous active media in the termination of atrial fibrillation by electrical cardioversion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuklik, Pawel; Wong, Christopher X; Brooks, Anthony G; Zebrowski, Jan Jacek; Sanders, Prashanthan

    2010-03-01

    Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia to affect humans. One of the treatment modalities for atrial fibrillation is an electrical cardioversion. Electrical cardioversion can result in one of three outcomes: an immediate termination of arrhythmic activity, a delayed termination or unsuccessful termination. The mechanism of delayed termination is unknown. Here we present a model of an atrial fibrillation as a coexistence of several spiral waves pinned to the inhomogeneities in active media. We show that in inhomogeneous system delayed termination can be explained as the unpinning of a spiral wave from inhomogeneities and its termination after collision with the edge of the system. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Left atrial size in patients with cryptogenic stroke as a predictor of occurrence of atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Cruz Culebras

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine whether the left atrial size can predict the development of atrial fibrillation (AF in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS. Methods: Patients with ischemic stroke were included prospectively (January 2015-July 2015 when ESUS was suspected. Clinical and cardiac imaging data were recorded. Patients with cardiac failure were excluded. Results: a total of 55 patients were included. Medium age was 71 years. The proportion of patients who developed AF during the follow-up (1 year was 23, 63%. 10 % of patients did not have any vascular risk factor. Basal ECG was normal in 98% of cases. The left atrial size volume was 36, 08 ml in patients who developed AF and 27, 14 ml in patients who did not. Conclusions: In patients with ESUS, left atrial size dimensions do not predict the occurrence of AF.

  20. Circadian variation in dominant atrial fibrillation frequency in persistent atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sandberg, Frida; Stridh, Martin; Sörnmo, Leif; Bollmann, Andreas; Husser, Daniela

    2010-01-01

    Circadian variation in atrial fibrillation (AF) frequency is explored in this paper by employing recent advances in signal processing. Once the AF frequency has been estimated and tracked by a hidden Markov model approach, the resulting trend is analyzed for the purpose of detecting and characterizing the presence of circadian variation. With cosinor analysis, the results show that the short-term variations in the AF frequency exceed the variation that may be attributed to circadian. Using the autocorrelation method, circadian variation was found in 13 of 18 ambulatory ECG recordings (Holter) acquired from patients with long-standing persistent AF. Using the ensemble correlation method, the highest AF frequency usually occurred during the afternoon, whereas the lowest usually occurred during late night. It is concluded that circadian variation is present in most patients with long-standing persistent AF though the short-term variation in the AF frequency is considerable and should be taken into account

  1. Atrial fibrillation: effects beyond the atrium?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wijesurendra, Rohan S; Casadei, Barbara

    2015-03-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained clinical arrhythmia and is associated with significant morbidity, mostly secondary to heart failure and stroke, and an estimated two-fold increase in premature death. Efforts to increase our understanding of AF and its complications have focused on unravelling the mechanisms of electrical and structural remodelling of the atrial myocardium. Yet, it is increasingly recognized that AF is more than an atrial disease, being associated with systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and adverse effects on the structure and function of the left ventricular myocardium that may be prognostically important. Here, we review the molecular and in vivo evidence that underpins current knowledge regarding the effects of human or experimental AF on the ventricular myocardium. Potential mechanisms are explored including diffuse ventricular fibrosis, focal myocardial scarring, and impaired myocardial perfusion and perfusion reserve. The complex relationship between AF, systemic inflammation, as well as endothelial/microvascular dysfunction and the effects of AF on ventricular calcium handling and oxidative stress are also addressed. Finally, consideration is given to the clinical implications of these observations and concepts, with particular reference to rate vs. rhythm control. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.

  2. Effects of a heat shock protein inducer on the atrial fibrillation substrate caused by acute atrial ischaemia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sakabe, Masao; Shiroshita-Takeshita, Akiko; Maguy, Ange; Brundel, Bianca J. J. M.; Fujiki, Akira; Inoue, Hiroshi; Nattel, Stanley

    2008-01-01

    Aims Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a set of endogenous cytoprotective factors activated by various pathological conditions. This study addressed the effects of geranylgeranylacetone (GGA), an orally active HSP inducer, on the atrial fibrillation (AF) substrate associated with acute atria( ischaemia

  3. Comparative study of atrial fibrillation and AV conduction in mammals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijler, F.L.; Tweel, I. van der

    1987-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation is one ofthe most common cardiac arrhythmias in humans. It a1so occurs quite frequent1y in dogs and horses. Comparative study of this arrhythmia may contribute to better understanding of the pathophysiologica1 mechanisms involved. In this study, we present a quantitative

  4. Hospitalisation patterns change over time in patients with atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fristrup Qvist, Janne; Høgh Sørensen, Pernille; Dixen, Ulrik

    2014-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac epidemic. In this study, we aimed to describe the causes of hospital-isation in an AF population over time and to study how different AF treatment strategies affected hospitalization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was an observational study in which...

  5. Effectiveness of structured, hospital-based, nurse-led atrial fibrillation clinics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qvist, Ina; Hendriks, Jeroen M L; Møller, Dorthe S

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: A previous randomised trial showed that structured, nurse-led atrial fibrillation (AF) care is superior to conventional AF care, although further research is needed to determine the outcomes of such care in a real-world setting. We compared the outcomes of patients in real-world, nurse...

  6. Antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation associated with valvular heart disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lip, Gregory Y H; Collet, Jean Philippe; Caterina, Raffaele de

    2017-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major worldwide public health problem, and AF in association with valvular heart disease (VHD) is also common. However, management strategies for this group of patients have been less informed by randomized trials, which have largely focused on 'non-valvular AF' pati...

  7. Management of stroke prevention in canadian patients with atrial fibrillation at moderate to high risk of stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semchuk, William M; Levac, Brandon; Lara, Muria; Shakespeare, Annabelle; Evers, Thomas; Bolt, Jennifer

    2013-09-01

    Many patients with atrial fibrillation who are at moderate to high risk of stroke do not receive anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in accordance with recommendations. To determine (1) why Canadian patients with atrial fibrillation who are potentially eligible for VKA do not receive this therapy, (2) why Canadian primary care physicians discontinue VKA therapy, and (3) why VKA therapy is perceived as difficult to manage. The study involved a chart review of 3 cohorts of patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at moderate to high risk of stroke: patients who had never received VKA treatment (VKA-naive), those whose treatment had been discontinued, and those whose VKA treatment was considered difficult to manage. Charts for 187 patients (mean age 78.4 years, standard deviation 8.9 years) treated at 39 primary care sites were reviewed (62 treatment-naive, 42 with therapy discontinued, and 83 whose therapy was considered difficult to manage). Atrial fibrillation was paroxysmal in 82 (44%) of the patients, persistent in 47 patients (25%), and permanent in 58 (31%). One patient in each of the 3 cohorts had experienced a stroke during the 6 months before study participation. Bleeding events were more frequent among patients who had discontinued VKA therapy than in the other 2 groups. Among those whose therapy was discontinued and those whose therapy was difficult to manage, the mean time in the therapeutic range was 46.3% and 56.4%, respectively. The most common reason for not initiating VKA therapy in treatment-naive patients was the transient nature of atrial fibrillation (25/62 [40%]). The most common reason for discontinuation of VKA therapy was a bleeding event (10/42 [24%]). The presence of a concomitant chronic disease was the most common reason that a patient's therapy was considered difficult to manage (46/83 [55%]). VKA therapy was not initiated or was discontinued for various reasons. Multiple comorbid conditions made management of VKA

  8. Safety of atrial fibrillation ablation with novel multi-electrode array catheters on uninterrupted anticoagulation-a single-center experience.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hayes, Christopher Ruslan

    2012-02-01

    INTRODUCTION: A recent single-center report indicated that the performance of atrial fibrillation ablation in patients on uninterrupted warfarin using a conventional deflectable tip electrode ablation catheter may be as safe as periprocedural discontinuation of warfarin and bridging with heparin. Novel multi-electrode array catheters for atrial fibrillation ablation are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. While offering the possibility of more rapid atrial fibrillation ablation, they are stiffer and necessitate the deployment of larger deflectable transseptal sheaths, and it remains to be determined if they increase the risk of cardiac perforation and vascular injury. Such potential risks would have implications for a strategy of uninterrupted periprocedural anticoagulation. METHOD AND RESULTS: We audited the safety outcomes of our atrial fibrillation ablation procedures using multi-electrode array ablation catheters in patients on uninterrupted warfarin (CHADS2 score>or=2) and in patients not on warfarin (uninterrupted aspirin). Two bleeding complications occurred in 49 patients on uninterrupted warfarin, both of which were managed successfully without longterm sequelae, and no bleeding complication occurred in 32 patients not on warfarin (uninterrupted aspirin). There were no thromboembolic events or other complication with either anticoagulant regimen. CONCLUSION: Despite the larger diameter and increased stiffness of multi-electrode array catheters and their deflectable transseptal sheaths, their use for catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation on uninterrupted warfarin in this single-center experience does not appear to be unsafe, and thus, an adequately powered multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial should be considered.

  9. Duration of Diabetes Mellitus and Risk of Thromboembolism and Bleeding in Atrial Fibrillation: Nationwide Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overvad, Thure Filskov; Skjøth, Flemming; Lip, Gregory Y H; Lane, Deirdre A; Albertsen, Ida Ehlers; Rasmussen, Lars Hvilsted; Larsen, Torben Bjerregaard

    2015-08-01

    Guidelines advocate anticoagulant treatment to all patients with atrial fibrillation and concomitant diabetes mellitus. The potential refinement to thromboembolic risk stratification that may spring from subdividing diabetes mellitus is unexplored. The purpose was to investigate duration of diabetes mellitus as a predictor of thromboembolism and anticoagulant-related bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation. Using nationwide Danish registries, we identified all patients discharged from hospital with an incident diagnosis of atrial fibrillation from 2000 to 2011. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for thromboembolism and bleeding according to years of diabetes mellitus duration in categories (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and ≥15) and as a continuous variable using cubic splines were calculated by Cox regression. The study population comprised 137 222 patients with atrial fibrillation, of which 12.4% had diabetes mellitus. Compared with patients without diabetes mellitus and after adjustment for anticoagulant treatment and CHA2DS2-VASc components (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, previous stroke, vascular disease, and sex), the risk of thromboembolism was lowest in the 0 to 4 years duration category (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.20), and highest in the longest duration category of ≥15 years (hazard ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-1.70). When analyzed as a continuous variable, duration of diabetes mellitus was associated with risk of thromboembolism in a dose-response-dependent manner, but not with a higher risk of bleeding during anticoagulant treatment. In patients with atrial fibrillation, longer duration of diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk of thromboembolism, but not with a higher risk of anticoagulant-related bleeding. Considering the critical balance between preventing thromboembolism and avoiding bleeding, longer duration of diabetes mellitus may favor initiation of anticoagulant therapy.

  10. LEFT-VENTRICULAR BEAT-TO-BEAT PERFORMANCE IN ATRIAL-FIBRILLATION - CONTRIBUTION OF FRANK-STARLING MECHANISM AFTER SHORT RATHER THAN LONG RR INTERVALS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    GOSSELINK, ATM; BLANKSMA, PK; CRIJNS, HJGM; VANGELDER, IC; DEKAM, PJ; HILLEGE, HL; NIEMEIJER, MG; LIE, KI; MEIJLER, FL

    1995-01-01

    Objectives. This study sought to evaluate control mechanisms of the varying left ventricular performance in atrial fibrillation. Background. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by a randomly irregular ventricular response, resulting in continuous variation in left ventricular beat-to-beat

  11. Discontinuation risk comparison among 'real-world' newly anticoagulated atrial fibrillation patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lip, Gregory Y H; Pan, Xianying; Kamble, Shital

    2018-01-01

    Discontinuation of oral anticoagulants may expose non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients to an increased risk of stroke. This study describes the real-world discontinuation rates and compared the risk of drug discontinuation among NVAF patients initiating apixaban, warfarin, dabigatran,...

  12. Sex-related differences in atrial fibrillation: Data from the RACE study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rienstra, M.; Van Gelder, I.C.

    2006-01-01

    We evaluated the effects of rate control treatment versus sinus rhythm restoration and maintenance in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation in a substudy of the Rate Control Versus Electrical Cardioversion (RACE) trial. Rhythm control treatment was associated with greater cardiovascular

  13. Evolving antithrombotic treatment patterns for patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Camm, A.J.; Accetta, G.; Ambrosio, G.; Atar, D.; Bassand, J.P.; Berge, E. van de; Cools, F.; Fitzmaurice, D.A.; Goldhaber, S.Z.; Goto, S.; Haas, S.; Kayani, G.; Koretsune, Y.; Mantovani, L.G.; Misselwitz, F.; Oh, S.; Turpie, A.G.G.; Verheugt, F.W.A.; Kakkar, A.K.

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: We studied evolving antithrombotic therapy patterns in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and >/=1 additional stroke risk factor between 2010 and 2015. METHODS: 39 670 patients were prospectively enrolled in four sequential cohorts in the Global

  14. Concomitant atrial fibrillation surgery for people undergoing cardiac surgery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huffman, Mark D; Karmali, Kunal N; Berendsen, Mark A; Andrei, Adin-Cristian; Kruse, Jane; McCarthy, Patrick M; Malaisrie, S C

    2016-01-01

    Background People with atrial fibrillation (AF) often undergo cardiac surgery for other underlying reasons and are frequently offered concomitant AF surgery to reduce the frequency of short- and long-term AF and improve short- and long-term outcomes. Objectives To assess the effects of concomitant AF surgery among people with AF who are undergoing cardiac surgery on short-term and long-term (12 months or greater) health-related outcomes, health-related quality of life, and costs. Search methods Starting from the year when the first “maze” AF surgery was reported (1987), we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in the Cochrane Library (March 2016), MEDLINE Ovid (March 2016), Embase Ovid (March 2016), Web of Science (March 2016), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE, April 2015), and Health Technology Assessment Database (HTA, March 2016). We searched trial registers in April 2016. We used no language restrictions. Selection criteria We included randomised controlled trials evaluating the effect of any concomitant AF surgery compared with no AF surgery among adults with preoperative AF, regardless of symptoms, who were undergoing cardiac surgery for another indication. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently selected studies and extracted data. We evaluated the risk of bias using the Cochrane ‘Risk of bias’ tool. We included outcome data on all-cause and cardiovascular-specific mortality, freedom from atrial fibrillation, flutter, or tachycardia off antiarrhythmic medications, as measured by patient electrocardiographic monitoring greater than three months after the procedure, procedural safety, 30-day rehospitalisation, need for post-discharge direct current cardioversion, health-related quality of life, and direct costs. We calculated risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous data with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a fixed-effect model when heterogeneity was low (I2 ≤ 50%) and random

  15. Predictors of the risk of falls among elderly with chronic atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela Cristina Silva dos Santos

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Though elderly persons with chronic atrial fibrillation have more comorbidities that could limit indications for the chronic use of anticoagulants, few studies have focused on the risk of falls within this particular group. To evaluate the predictors of the risk of falls among elderly with chronic atrial fibrillation, a cross-sectional, observational study was performed. METHODS: From 295 consecutive patients aged 60 years or older with a history of atrial fibrillation who were enrolled within the last 2 years in the cardiogeriatrics outpatient clinic of the Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, 107 took part in this study. Their age was 77.9±6.4 years, and 62 were female. They were divided into two groups: a no history of falls in the previous year and b a history of one or more falls in the previous year. Data regarding the history of falls and social, demographic, anthropometric, and clinical information were collected. Multidimensional assessment instruments and questionnaires were applied. RESULTS: At least one fall was reported in 55 patients (51.4%. Among them, 27 (49.1% presented recurrent falls, with body lesions in 90.4% and fractures in 9.1% of the cases. Multivariate logistic regression showed that selfreported difficulty maintaining balance, use of amiodarone, and diabetes were independent variables associated with the risk of falls, with a sensitivity of 92.9% and a specificity of 44.9%. CONCLUSION: In a group of elderly patients with chronic atrial fibrillation who were relatively independent and able to attend an outpatient clinic, the occurrence of falls with recurrence and clinical consequences was high. Difficulty maintaining balance, the use of amiodarone and a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of the risk for falls. Thus, simple clinical data predicted falls better than objective functional tests.

  16. Development of a transgenic goat model wih cardiac-specific overexpression of transforming growth factor - {beta} 1 to study the relationship between atrial fibrosis and atrial fibrillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Studies on patients, large animal models and transgenic mouse models have shown a strong association of atrial fibrosis with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it is unclear whether there is a causal relationship between atrial fibrosis and AF or whether these events appear as a result of independen...

  17. Evalutating Inward Rectifier Current Inhibiton for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ji, Yuan

    2017-01-01

    Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common forms of cardiac arrhythmia and affects a large percentage of the human population, especially in the elderly. Currently, more than 6 million Europeans suffer from AF, and due to ageing this number will at least double in the next 50 years.

  18. Assessment of left atrial volume and function in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Agner, Bue F Ross; Kühl, Jørgen Tobias; Linde, Jesper James

    2014-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. AF is associated with enlargement of the left atrium (LA), and the LA volume has important prognostic implications for the disease. The objective of the study was to determine how...... measurements of LA volume and function obtained by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and 320-slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) correlate in patients with permanent AF....

  19. Left Atrial Appendage Closure in Atrial Fibrillation: A World without Anticoagulation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tahmeed Contractor

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Atrial Fibrillation (AF is a common arrhythmia with an incidence that is as high as 10% in the elderly population. Given the large proportion of strokes caused by AF as well as the associated morbidity and mortality, reducing stroke burden is the most important part of AF management. While warfarin significantly reduces the risk of AF-related stroke, perceived bleeding risks and compliance limit its widespread use in the high-risk AF population. The left atrial appendage is believed to be the “culprit” for thrombogenesis in nonvalvular AF and is a new therapeutic target for stroke prevention. The purpose of this review is to explore the evolving field of percutaneous LAA occlusion. After briefly highlighting the risk of stroke with AF, problems with warfarin, and the role of the LAA in clot formation, this article discusses the feasibility and efficacy of various devices which have been developed for percutaneous LAA occlusion.

  20. Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in Females: Insight from the MAGIC-AF Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Sheldon M; D'Avila, Andre; Aryana, Arash; Kim, Young-Hoon; Mangrum, J Michael; Michaud, Gregory F; Dukkipati, Srinivas R; Heist, E Kevin; Barrett, Conor D; Thorpe, Kevin E; Reddy, Vivek Y

    2016-07-27

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is less frequently performed in women when compared to men. There are conflicting data on the safety and efficacy of AF ablation in women. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes in a contemporary cohort of men and women undergoing persistent AF ablation procedures. A total of 182 men and 53 women undergoing a first-ever persistent AF catheter ablation procedure in The Modified Ablation Guided by Ibutilide Use in Chronic Atrial Fibrillation (MAGIC-AF) trial were evaluated. Clinical and procedural characteristics were compared between each gender. The primary efficacy endpoint was the 1-year single procedure freedom from atrial arrhythmia off anti-arrhythmic drugs. Women undergoing catheter ablation procedures were older than men (P Single procedure drug-free atrial arrhythmia recurrence occurred in 53% of the cohort with no difference based on gender (men = 54%, women = 53%; P = 1.0). Procedural (P = 0.04), fluoroscopic (P = 0.02), and ablation times (P = 0.003) were shorter in women compared to men. Periprocedural complications and postablation improvement in quality of life were similar between men and women. Women undergoing a first-ever persistent AF ablation procedure were older but had similar clinical outcomes and complications when compared with men. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Automatic selection of optimal cardiac-phase in coronary CT angiography. Its clinical usefulness for patients with atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, Ryota; Narita, Hiroshi; Anno, Hirofumi; Ida, Yoshihiro; Sanda, Yoshihiro; Katada, Kazuhiro; Motoyama, Sadako; Sarai, Masayoshi; Tsuyuki, Masaharu

    2008-01-01

    The optimal cardiac phases for coronary CT angiography (CTA) are end-systole and mid-diastole, in which cardiac movement is slow. In conventional methods, these cardiac phases are determined by visual selection. We have compared the images in the optimal cardiac phases that were selected by the conventional method and cardiac-phase search software (Phase Navi), and examined the clinical usefulness of Phase Navi in patients with atrial fibrillation. The subjects were 38 patients (regular rhythm: 20, atrial fibrillation: 18). The continuity scores of patients with regular rhythm (Phase Navi, conventional methods) were 2.4±0.3-2.5±0.3 in end-systole and 2.4±0.5-2.4±0.4 in mid-diastole. The scores of patients with atrial fibrillation (Phase Navi, conventional methods) were 2.3±0.4-2.3±0.4 in end-systole, and 2.2±0.5-2.1±0.6 in mid-diastole. Because the continuity scores of the optimal images from Phase Navi were similar to those from the conventional method, Phase Navi had clinical usefulness in patients with atrial fibrillation. (author)

  2. Phrenic Nerve Injury After Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacques Clementy

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Phrenic Nerve Injury (PNI has been well studied by cardiac surgeons. More recently it has been recognized as a potential complication of catheter ablation with a prevalence of 0.11 to 0.48 % after atrial fibrillation (AF ablation. This review will focus on PNI after AF ablation. Anatomical studies have shown a close relationship between the right phrenic nerve and it's proximity to the superior vena cava (SVC, and the antero-inferior part of the right superior pulmonary vein (RSPV. In addition, the proximity of the left phrenic nerve to the left atrial appendage has been well established. Independent of the type of ablation catheter (4mm, 8 mm, irrigated tip, balloon or energy source used (radiofrequency (RF, ultrasound, cryothermia, and laser; the risk of PNI exists during ablation at the critical areas listed above. Although up to thirty-one percent of patients with PNI after AF ablation remain asymptomatic, dyspnea remain the cardinal symptom and is present in all symptomatic patients. Despite the theoretical risk for significant adverse effect on functional status and quality of life, short-term outcomes from published studies appear favorable with 81% of patients with PNI having a complete recovery after 7 ± 7 months.Conclusion: Existing studies have described PNI as an uncommon but avoidable complication in patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation for AF. Prior to ablation at the SVC, antero-inferior RSPV ostium or the left atrial appendage, pacing should be performed before energy delivery. If phrenic nerve capture is documented, energy delivery should be avoided at this site. Electrophysiologist's vigilance as well as pacing prior to ablation at high risk sites in close proximity to the phrenic nerve are the currently available tools to avoid the complication of PNI.

  3. Dental Procedures in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and New Oral Anticoagulants

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    This review discusses the basic pharmacology of new oral anticoagulants that are used for prevention of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. It presents available evidence, and provides recommendations for the management of patients requiring invasive procedures in dental practice. PMID:26835072

  4. Anaesthetic Management of Parturient with Acute Atrial Fibrillation for Emergency Caesarean Section

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Madhu Gupta

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A 31-year-antenatal lady with critical mitral stenosis presented for emergency caesarean section with fetal distress. She had acute onset atrial fibrillation. She was given a combined spinal epidural (CSE anaesthesia and her arrhythmia was successfully managed after delivery of the baby with intravenous calcium channel blocker. Mitral stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease complicating pregnancy in developing countries. The physiological changes during pregnancy may exacerbate their cardiac symptoms. They may present with complications like congestive cardiac failure, atrial fibrillation, or pulmonary thromboembolism during the antenatal, intrapartum, or postpartum period. Here we discuss the management of parturient woman with high maternal and fetal risk presenting for emergency caesarean. The merits of regional anaesthesia and the importance of invasive monitoring are also discussed.

  5. Pathogenic Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation in Obesity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. M. Drapkina

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation (AF is one of the most common arrhythmias. It reduces quality of life and its duration due to thromboembolic complications. Obesity contributes to the structural and electrical remodeling of atrial myocardium. This leads to occurrence of ectopic foci in the mouths of the pulmonary veins and the disruption of normal electrical conduction in the atria. Systemic inflammation, myocardial fibrosis, cardiomyocyte overload by Na+ and Ca2+ ions, accumulation in the cells of unoxidized metabolic products, imbalance of the autonomic regulation are considered as the main mechanisms of arrhythmogenic substrate formation. Hypertension, insulin resistance, and obstructive sleep apnea, associated with obesity, increase the risk of development and progression of the arrhythmia. Study of pathogenetic mechanisms of AF in obesity is necessary to develop new strategies for its prevention and the creation of more effective methods of treatment of these patients.

  6. Oral bisphosphonates and risk of atrial fibrillation and flutter in women: a self-controlled case-series safety analysis.

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    Anthony Grosso

    Full Text Available A recent trial unexpectedly reported that atrial fibrillation, when defined as serious, occurred more often in participants randomized to an annual infusion of the relatively new parenteral bisphosphonate, zoledronic acid, than among those given placebo, but had limited power. Two subsequent population-based case-control studies of patients receiving a more established oral bisphosphonate, alendronic acid, reported conflicting results, possibly due to uncontrolled confounding factors.We used the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database to assess the risk of atrial fibrillation and flutter in women exposed to the oral bisphosphonates, alendronic acid and risedronate sodium. The self-controlled case-series method was used to minimise the potential for confounding. The age-adjusted incidence rate ratio for atrial fibrillation or flutter in individuals during their exposure to these oral bisphosphonates (n = 2195 was 1.07 (95% CI 0.94-1.21. The age-adjusted incidence rate ratio for alendronic acid (n = 1489 and risedronate sodium (n = 649 exposed individuals were 1.09 (95% CI 0.93-1.26 and 0.99 (95% CI 0.78-1.26 respectively. In post-hoc analyses, an increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation or flutter was detected for patients during their first few months of alendronic acid therapy.We found no robust evidence of an overall long-term increased risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter associated with continued exposure to the oral bisphosphonates, alendronic acid and risedronate sodium. A possible signal for an increase in risk during the first few months of therapy with alendronic acid needs to be re-assessed in additional studies.

  7. The left atrium, atrial fibrillation, and the risk of stroke in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wachtell, K.; Devereux, R.B.; Lyle, P.A.

    2008-01-01

    was superior to atenolol-based treatment for reducing new-onset AF and complications, especially stroke, associated with new-onset or pre-existing AF. Potential mechanisms of AF prevention by angiotensin receptor blockade supported by LIFE results include greater reduction in left atrial size and LV......The Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) study provided extensive data on predisposing factors, consequences, and prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with hypertension and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Randomized losartan-based treatment...... hypertrophy. Differential effects of antihypertensive treatment on the left atrium and left ventricle may help prevent AF and reduce risk of stroke associated with hypertensive heart disease Udgivelsesdato: 2008/12...

  8. Assessment of the effect of left atrial cryoablation enhanced by ganglionated plexi ablation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing open heart surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bárta, Jiří; Brát, Radim

    2017-08-17

    The aim of our study was to investigate, whether enhancement of left atrial cryoablation by ablation of the autonomic nervous system of left atrium leads to influencing the outcomes of surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with structural heart disease undergoing open-heart surgery. The observed patient file consisted of 100 patients, who have undergone a combined open-heart surgery at our department between July 2012 and December 2014. The patients were indicated for the surgical procedure due to structural heart disease, and suffered from paroxysmal, persistent, or long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation. In all cases, left atrial cryoablation was performed in the extent of isolation of pulmonary veins, box lesion, connecting lesion with mitral annulus, amputation of the left atrial appendage and connecting lesion of the appendage base with left pulmonary veins. Furthermore, 35 of the patients underwent mapping and radiofrequency ablation of ganglionated plexi, together with discision and ablation of the ligament of Marshall (Group GP). A control group was consisted of 65 patients without ganglionated plexi intervention (Group LA). The main primary outcome was establishment and duration of sinus rhythm in the course of one-year follow-up. Evaluation of the number of patients with a normal sinus rhythm in per cent has shown comparable values in both groups (Group GP - 93.75%, Group LA - 86.67%, p = 0.485); comparable results were also observed in patients with normal sinus rhythm without anti-arrhythmic treatment in the 12th month (Group GP - 50%, Group LA - 47%, p = 0.306). We have not observed any relation between the recurrence of atrial fibrillation and the presence of a mitral valve surgery, or between the presence of a mitral and tricuspid valves surgery and between the left atrial diameter > 50 mm. Enhancement of left atrial cryoablation by gangionated plexi ablation did not influence the outcomes of surgical ablation due to

  9. Effects of atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter on the short and medium-term prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cui Kejian; Gu Shuiming; Ding Yueyou; Zheng Hongchao; Zhang Yachen; Li Yigang

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the influnce of atrial fibrillation(AF)/atrial flutter on the mortality and prognosis of patients with AMI. Methods: A total of 297 consecutive patients were studied from Jan. 2001 to Dec. 2005 and were categorized into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of AF/atrial flutter. The 30 d and 6 mo mortalities, Killip Grades, cardiogenic shock, arrhythmia and left ventricular ejectory functional (LVEF) 6 months after AMI with Doppler US between the 2 groups were compared. Results: The incidence of AF/atrial fluttler was 12.5% with older age, higher Killip Gorade, higher CPK peak, higher rates of previous myocardial infarction and multivascular involvement than those without AF/ atrial flutter. The short and medium-term mortalities in AF/atriat flutter group were both significantly higher than those of non-AF/atrial flutter group (P<0.05). Conclusions: The short and medium-term mortalities increase obviously in AMI complicated with AF/atrial flutter, probably related to the severity of atherosclerosis. (authors)

  10. Assistência de enfermagem a paciente com fibrilação atrial Asistencia de enfermería al paciente con fibrilación atrial Nursing assistance to patients with atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lutgarde Magda Suzanne Vanheusden

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Este estudo tem por objetivo apresentar uma revisão atualizada sobre as questões que envolvem a assistência à paciente que desenvolve fibrilação atrial. Essa revisão discute a condição complexa dessa taquiarritmia que influencia a mortalidade, morbidade, abordando o seu elevado custo para o sistema de saúde. A assistência e o importante papel da educação para a enfermagem nessa área estão sendo discutidos. Como a prevalência da fibrilação atrial aumenta com a idade e o Brasil tem uma população idosa cada vez mais crescente, a enfermagem enfrenta atualmente o desafio para cuidar dessa população que apresenta necessidades variadas.Este estudio tiene por objetivo presentar una revisión actualizada sobre las cuestiones que envuelven la asistencia al paciente que desarrolla fibrilación atrial. Esa revisión discute la condición compleja de esa taquiarritmia que influencia la morbidad, mortalidad, enfocando el costo que es muy grande para el sistema de salud. Se discute también la asistencia y el importante papel de la educación para la enfermería en esa área. Como la prevalencia de la fibrilación atrial aumenta con la edad y como el Brasil tiene una población de ancianos cada vez más creciente, la enfermería, actualmente, enfrenta el desafío para cuidar de esa población que presenta necesidades variadas.The objective of this study is to present an up to date revision about the assistance of the patient that develops atrial fibrilation. This revision raises the discussion on the complexity of atrial fibrillation that influences the mortality, morbidity, and the high cost for the health system. The assistance and the important paper of education of nursing on atrial fibrillation are here discussed. The population of Brazil is increasing in time and age consequently the prevalence of atrial fibrillation is also increasing. Thus, nursing faces the current challenge to take care of this specific population that presents

  11. Role of atrial fibrillation and atrioventricular conduction (including Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome) in sudden death

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijler, F.L.; Tweel, I. van der; Herbschleb, J.N.; Hauer, R.N.W.; Robles de Medina, E.O.

    A short refractory period of the accessory pathway is considered a major threat for sudden death in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and atrial fibrillation. RR interval and QRS signal analysis together with signal analysis of a bipolar high right atrial electrogram were obtained in six

  12. Automatic detection of atrial fibrillation in cardiac vibration signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brueser, C; Diesel, J; Zink, M D H; Winter, S; Schauerte, P; Leonhardt, S

    2013-01-01

    We present a study on the feasibility of the automatic detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) from cardiac vibration signals (ballistocardiograms/BCGs) recorded by unobtrusive bedmounted sensors. The proposed system is intended as a screening and monitoring tool in home-healthcare applications and not as a replacement for ECG-based methods used in clinical environments. Based on BCG data recorded in a study with 10 AF patients, we evaluate and rank seven popular machine learning algorithms (naive Bayes, linear and quadratic discriminant analysis, support vector machines, random forests as well as bagged and boosted trees) for their performance in separating 30 s long BCG epochs into one of three classes: sinus rhythm, atrial fibrillation, and artifact. For each algorithm, feature subsets of a set of statistical time-frequency-domain and time-domain features were selected based on the mutual information between features and class labels as well as first- and second-order interactions among features. The classifiers were evaluated on a set of 856 epochs by means of 10-fold cross-validation. The best algorithm (random forests) achieved a Matthews correlation coefficient, mean sensitivity, and mean specificity of 0.921, 0.938, and 0.982, respectively.

  13. Case report: Atrial fibrillation following exposure to ambient air pollution particles

    Science.gov (United States)

    CONTEXT: Exposure to air pollution can result in the onset of atrial fibrillation. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 58 year old woman who volunteered to participate in a controlled exposure to concentrated ambient particles (CAPs). Twenty minutes into the exposure, there...

  14. Early recurrences of atrial fibrillation after electrical cardioversion : A result of fibrillation-induced electrical remodeling of the atria?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tieleman, RG; Van Gelder, IC; Crijns, HJGM; De Kam, PJ; Van den Berg, MP; Haaksma, J; Van der Woude, HJ; Allessie, MA

    Objectives, We sought to investigate whether, in humans, the timing and incidence of a relapse of atrial fibrillation (AF) during the first month after cardioversion indicates the presence of electrical remodeling and whether this could be influenced by prevention of intracellular calcium overload

  15. Left atrial appendage thrombosis during therapy with rivaroxaban in elective cardioversion for permanent atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walter Serra

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Electric external cardioversion (EEC for permanent atrial fibrillation (AF carries a risk of thromboembolic events (TE. The use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE to guide the management of atrial fibrillation may be considered a clinically effective alternative strategy to conventional therapy for patients in whom elective cardioversion is planned. Therapeutic anticoagulation with novel oral anticoagulants (NOAC is recommended for 3 to 4 weeks before and an anticoagulation life-long therapy is recommended after EEC to reduce TE, in patients with high CHA2DS2-VASc score; however, only few data are currently available about safety of shortterm anticoagulation with NOAC in the setting of EEC. Patients with increased risk of thromboembolism have not been adequately studied and the monitoring of anticoagulant effects can also have important benefits in case of drug interactions. We report a case of a 68-year old man with AF from September 2014. Moderate depression of global left ventricular systolic function was detected by echocardiographic exam. On the basis of a high thromboembolic risk, an anticoagulant therapy with rivaroxaban, at the dose of 20 mg/day, was started. TEE showed a thrombus in the left atrial appendage. This case demonstrates the utility of performing TEE prior than EEC in patients with hypokinetic cardiomyopathy other than AF in therapy with NOAC. We underline the presence of significant pharmacodynamic interference of rivaroxaban with other drugs such as oxcarbazepine.

  16. Amiodarone is a cost-neutral way of preventing atrial fibrillation after surgery for lung cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riber, Lars P.; Christensen, Thomas D.; Pilegaard, Hans K.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to estimate the costs and health benefits of routinely administered postoperative amiodarone as a prophylactic agent in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer. METHODS: This was a cost-effectiveness study, based.......23). There were no signs of adverse developments referable to amiodarone in this prophylactic regime. CONCLUSIONS: For patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer, routine use of postoperative prophylactic intravenous bolus and five subsequent days of oral amiodarone therapy reduces the risk of atrial...... on the randomized, controlled, double-blinded PASCART study, using avoidance of atrial fibrillation as the measure of benefit. Two hundred and fifty-four eligible, consecutively enrolled patients, undergoing surgery for lung cancer at the department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital...

  17. Management of Stroke Prevention in Canadian Patients with Atrial Fibrillation at Moderate to High Risk of Stroke

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semchuk, William M; Levac, Brandon; Lara, Muria; Shakespeare, Annabelle; Evers, Thomas; Bolt, Jennifer

    2013-01-01

    Background Many patients with atrial fibrillation who are at moderate to high risk of stroke do not receive anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in accordance with recommendations. Objective: To determine (1) why Canadian patients with atrial fibrillation who are potentially eligible for VKA do not receive this therapy, (2) why Canadian primary care physicians discontinue VKA therapy, and (3) why VKA therapy is perceived as difficult to manage. Methods: The study involved a chart review of 3 cohorts of patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at moderate to high risk of stroke: patients who had never received VKA treatment (VKA-naive), those whose treatment had been discontinued, and those whose VKA treatment was considered difficult to manage. Results: Charts for 187 patients (mean age 78.4 years, standard deviation 8.9 years) treated at 39 primary care sites were reviewed (62 treatment-naive, 42 with therapy discontinued, and 83 whose therapy was considered difficult to manage). Atrial fibrillation was paroxysmal in 82 (44%) of the patients, persistent in 47 patients (25%), and permanent in 58 (31%). One patient in each of the 3 cohorts had experienced a stroke during the 6 months before study participation. Bleeding events were more frequent among patients who had discontinued VKA therapy than in the other 2 groups. Among those whose therapy was discontinued and those whose therapy was difficult to manage, the mean time in the therapeutic range was 46.3% and 56.4%, respectively. The most common reason for not initiating VKA therapy in treatment-naive patients was the transient nature of atrial fibrillation (25/62 [40%]). The most common reason for discontinuation of VKA therapy was a bleeding event (10/42 [24%]). The presence of a concomitant chronic disease was the most common reason that a patient’s therapy was considered difficult to manage (46/83 [55%]). Conclusions: VKA therapy was not initiated or was discontinued for various reasons

  18. Current approaches in atrial fibrillation treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cenk Sarı

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation (AF is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Its incidence increases with age. AF is classified into subtypes according to the duration and/or able to provide sinus rhytym. İnitially, patients should be evaluated for rhythm or rate control for appropriate treatment. Second stage of strategy aimed to investigate the feasibility of anticoagulation therapy. Recently, due to the progress made in treatment with rhythm control and anticoagulation therapy, either American or European guidelines have been renovated. These developments have taken place in the newly published guide. In this article, the current change in the management of AF is discussed.

  19. Prevalence of stroke and the need for thromboprophylaxis in young patients with atrial fibrillation: a cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Andrew H; Oakley, Luke S; Phan, Hoanganh L; Shutt, Brennan J; Birgersdotter-Green, Ulrika; Francisco, Gregory M

    2014-03-01

    Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and age is a well-established independent risk factor for stroke in these patients. Whereas high-risk patients clearly benefit from anticoagulation to prevent stroke, less is known about how to treat low-risk patients. Despite the recent guidelines and studies demonstrating no benefit and excess bleeding risk with aspirin, many low-risk patients still receive this medication. Our objective was to determine the stroke rate in young patients with atrial fibrillation, a group of previously unstudied and predominantly low-risk patients. We hypothesized that the event rate would be so low as to preclude benefit from antithrombotic medications. A retrospective chart review identified patients with atrial fibrillation between the age of 18 and 35. Exclusion criteria included no ECG documentation of atrial fibrillation, anticoagulation, except around the time of cardioversion, and surgical valve disease. The primary outcome was stroke during the period of observation. The final cohort included 99 patients, mean age 27.6 years, followed for a mean of 4.3 years. Mean CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were 0.26 and 0.4, respectively. A total of 42.4% were taking aspirin for over 50% of the time. There was one event identified, a transient ischemic attack in a man not on aspirin with CHADS2 and CHADS2-VASc scores of 1, resulting in event rates of 0.234 per 100 patient-years overall or 0.392 among those not on aspirin. Patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation under age 35 have an exceedingly low stroke risk. We assert that aspirin may be unnecessary for most patients in this population, especially those with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0.

  20. Factors associated with confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication among patients with atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedberg, Berith; Malm, Dan; Karlsson, Jan-Erik; Årestedt, Kristofer; Broström, Anders

    2018-06-01

    Atrial fibrillation is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia. Effective communication of risks (e.g. stroke risk) and benefits of treatment (e.g. oral anticoagulants) is crucial for the process of shared decision making. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication after a follow-up visit among patients who three months earlier had visited an emergency room for atrial fibrillation related symptoms. A cross-sectional design was used and 322 patients (34% women), mean age 66.1 years (SD 10.5 years) with atrial fibrillation were included in the south of Sweden. Clinical examinations were done post an atrial fibrillation episode. Self-rating scales for communication (Combined Outcome Measure for Risk Communication and Treatment Decision Making Effectiveness), uncertainty in illness (Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Community), mastery of daily life (Mastery Scale), depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and vitality, physical health and mental health (36-item Short Form Health Survey) were used to collect data. Decreased vitality and mastery of daily life, as well as increased uncertainty in illness, were independently associated with lower confidence in decision making. Absence of hypertension and increased uncertainty in illness were independently associated with lower satisfaction with risk communication. Clinical atrial fibrillation variables or depressive symptoms were not associated with satisfaction with confidence in decision making or satisfaction with risk communication. The final models explained 29.1% and 29.5% of the variance in confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication. Confidence in decision making is associated with decreased vitality and mastery of daily life, as well as increased uncertainty in illness, while absence of hypertension and increased uncertainty in illness are associated with risk communication satisfaction.

  1. Valsartan Reduced Atrial Fibrillation Susceptibility by Inhibiting Atrial Parasympathetic Remodeling through MAPKs/Neurturin Pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Liu

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs have been proved to be effective in preventing atrial structural and electrical remodelinq in atrial fibrillation (AF. Previous studies have shown that parasympathetic remodeling plays an important role in AF. However, the effects of ARBs on atrial parasympathetic remodeling in AF and the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. Methods: Canines were divided into sham-operated, pacing and valsartan + pacing groups. Rats and HL-1 cardiomyocytes were divided into control, angiotensin II (Ang II and Ang II + valsartan groups, respectively. Atrial parasympathetic remodeling was quantified by immunocytochemical staining with anti-choline acetyltransferase (ChAT antibody. Western blot was used to analysis the protein expression of neurturin. Results: Both inducibility and duration were increased in chronic atrial rapid-pacing canine model, which was significantly inhibited by the treatment with valsartan. The density of ChAT-positive nerves and the protein level of neurturin in the atria of pacing canines were both increased than those in sham-operated canines. Ang II treatment not only induced atrial parasympathetic remodeling in rats, but also up-regulated the protein expression of neurturin. Valsartan significantly prevented atrial parasympathetic remodeling, and suppressed the protein expression of neurturin. Meanwhile, valsartan inhibited Ang II -induced up-regulation of neurturin and MAPKs in cultured cardiac myocytes. Inhibition of MAPKs dramatically attenuated neurturin up-regulation induced by Ang II. Conclusion: Parasympathetic remodeling was present in animals subjected to rapid pacing or Ang II infusion, which was mediated by MAPKs/neurturin pathway. Valsartan is able to prevent atrial parasympathetic remodeling and the occurrence of AF via inhibiting MAPKs/neurturin pathway.

  2. Valsartan Reduced Atrial Fibrillation Susceptibility by Inhibiting Atrial Parasympathetic Remodeling through MAPKs/Neurturin Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lei; Geng, Jianqiang; Zhao, Hongwei; Yun, Fengxiang; Wang, Xiaoyu; Yan, Sen; Ding, Xue; Li, Wenpeng; Wang, Dingyu; Li, Jianqiang; Pan, Zhenwei; Gong, Yongtai; Tan, Xiangyang; Li, Yue

    2015-01-01

    Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been proved to be effective in preventing atrial structural and electrical remodelinq in atrial fibrillation (AF). Previous studies have shown that parasympathetic remodeling plays an important role in AF. However, the effects of ARBs on atrial parasympathetic remodeling in AF and the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. Canines were divided into sham-operated, pacing and valsartan + pacing groups. Rats and HL-1 cardiomyocytes were divided into control, angiotensin II (Ang II) and Ang II + valsartan groups, respectively. Atrial parasympathetic remodeling was quantified by immunocytochemical staining with anti-choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) antibody. Western blot was used to analysis the protein expression of neurturin. Both inducibility and duration were increased in chronic atrial rapid-pacing canine model, which was significantly inhibited by the treatment with valsartan. The density of ChAT-positive nerves and the protein level of neurturin in the atria of pacing canines were both increased than those in sham-operated canines. Ang II treatment not only induced atrial parasympathetic remodeling in rats, but also up-regulated the protein expression of neurturin. Valsartan significantly prevented atrial parasympathetic remodeling, and suppressed the protein expression of neurturin. Meanwhile, valsartan inhibited Ang II -induced up-regulation of neurturin and MAPKs in cultured cardiac myocytes. Inhibition of MAPKs dramatically attenuated neurturin up-regulation induced by Ang II. Parasympathetic remodeling was present in animals subjected to rapid pacing or Ang II infusion, which was mediated by MAPKs/neurturin pathway. Valsartan is able to prevent atrial parasympathetic remodeling and the occurrence of AF via inhibiting MAPKs/neurturin pathway. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease as a Predictor of Atrial Fibrillation in Middle-Aged Population (OPERA Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aki J Käräjämäki

    Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD and atrial fibrillation (AF are widespread diseases and have multiple common risk factors and comorbidities. No studies of association between ultrasonography-diagnosed NAFLD and AF exist in other than diabetic population. The goal of this prospective study was to study the value of NAFLD as a predictor of atrial fibrillation. This study had 958 subjects from the OPERA (Oulu Project Elucidating Risk of Atherosclerosis cohort, and the mean follow-up time was 16.3 years. NAFLD was diagnosed if the subject had fatty liver in ultrasonography and no excess alcohol intake. AF was followed in the National Registers. In this study 249 subjects (26.0% had NAFLD and 37 (14.9% of these had AF whereas only 56 (7.9% of those without NAFLD experienced AF during the follow-up time (p = 0.001. In the multiple Cox regression analysis including potential confounders (age, sex, study group, diabetes, body mass index (BMI, waist circumference, alcohol consumption, smoking, serum alanine aminotransferase concentration (ALT, systolic blood pressure, quick index, left ventricular mass index, left atrial diameter, coronary artery disease (CAD, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, NAFLD remained as an independent predictor of AF (Adjusted OR, 1.88 (95% Confidence interval (CI 1.03-3.45. In conclusion, our data shows that NAFLD is independently associated with the risk of AF.

  4. Prospective randomized evaluation of the watchman left atrial appendage closure device in patients with atrial fibrillation versus long-term warfarin therapy: The PREVAIL trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belgaid, Djouhar Roufeida; Khan, Zara; Zaidi, Mariam; Hobbs, Adrian

    2016-09-15

    Assessing the safety and effectiveness of left atrial appendage (LAA) (pouch found in the upper chambers of the heart) occlusion, using the Watchman device compared to long term warfarin therapy (drug that reduces clot formation), in preventing the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (most common type of irregular heart beat). 90% of strokes in atrial fibrillation arise from clots forming in this pouch. By mechanically blocking it using the device less clots are suggested to be formed. This is an alternative to taking warfarin especially in patients who cannot take it. 50 sites in the United States enrolled 407 participants. After being randomly allocated, the device group had 269 participants and warfarin group (comparator)had 138 participants. Patients with atrial fibrillation and at high risk of stroke were randomly allocated a group after they were deemed eligible. Patients in the device group had to take warfarin and aspirin for 45days till the complete closure of the LAA. The oral anticoagulant was followed by dual antiplatelet therapy until 6months and then ASA. Patients in the warfarin group have to take it for life and were continually monitored. The study ran for 26months. The trial assessed the rate of adverse events using three endpoints: The PREVAIL trial was not designed to show superiority, but non-inferiority. It met the safety endpoint and one efficacy endpoint for the watchman device compared to long term warfarin for overall efficacy of the device. The results established that LAA occlusion is not worse than warfarin intake for the prevention of stroke more than 1week after randomization. Compared to previous trials, the safety of the device has also improved. LAA occlusion is a reasonable alternative to chronic warfarin therapy in stroke prevention for patients with atrial fibrillation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Left atrial volume assessment in atrial fibrillation using multimodality imaging: a comparison of echocardiography, invasive three-dimensional CARTO and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabbat, Mark G; Wilber, David; Thomas, Kevin; Malick, Owais; Bashir, Atif; Agrawal, Anoop; Biswas, Santanu; Sanagala, Thriveni; Syed, Mushabbar A

    2015-06-01

    Left atrial size in atrial fibrillation is a strong predictor of successful ablation and cardiovascular events. Cardiac magnetic resonance multislice method (CMR-MSM) is the current gold standard for left atrial volume (LAV) assessment but is time consuming. We investigated whether LAV with more rapid area-length method by echocardiography (Echo-AL) or cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR-AL) and invasive measurement by 3D-CARTO mapping during ablation correlate with the CMR-MSM. We studied 250 consecutive patients prior to atrial fibrillation ablation. CMR images were acquired on 3T scanner to measure LAV by MSM and biplane area-length method. Standard echocardiography views were used to calculate LAV by biplane area-length method. LAV during ablation was measured by 3D-CARTO mapping. LAV was compared using intra-class correlation (ICC), Pearson's correlation and Bland-Altman plots. CMR-MSM was used as the reference standard. Mean LAV using CMR-MSM was 112.7 ± 36.7 ml. CMR-AL method overestimated LAV by 13.3 ± 21.8 ml (11.2%, p atrial fibrillation. CMR-AL and 3D-CARTO correlated and agreed well with CMR-MSM (r = 0.87 and 0.74, ICC = 0.80 and 0.77 respectively). However, Echo-AL had poor correlation and agreement with CMR-MSM (r = 0.66 and ICC = 0.48). Bland-Altman plots confirmed these findings. CMR-AL method may be used as an alternative to CMR-MSM, as it is non-invasive, rapid, and correlates well with CMR-MSM. LAV by different modalities should not be used interchangeably.

  6. Survey of the use of warfarin and the newer anticoagulant dabigatran in patients with atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Choi JC

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Jiyoon C Choi,1 Marco d DiBonaventura,2 Lewis Kopenhafer,2 Winnie W Nelson31LifeScan, Inc, West Chester, PA, 2Health Sciences Practice, Kantar Health, New York, NY, 3Janssen Scientific Affairs LLC, Raritan, NJ, USABackground: Oral dabigatran was recently approved as an alternative to warfarin for prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Unlike warfarin, dabigatran has a fixed dosage and few drug interactions, and does not require anticoagulation monitoring or dietary restrictions.Methods: This study aimed to describe and compare characteristics of patients with atrial fibrillation who used dabigatran or only warfarin. Patients with a self-reported diagnosis of atrial fibrillation aged ≥18 years who were receiving (or had received warfarin or dabigatran completed an online survey. Differences in characteristics of dabigatran and warfarin users were tested using chi-squared tests and analysis of variance for categorical and continuous variables, respectively.Results: Overall, 364 patients were surveyed (204 warfarin users, 160 dabigatran users. The mean age was 65.1 years, and 68.7% were male. Dabigatran users were more likely than warfarin users to be female (36.9% versus 27.0% and to have experienced adverse events, including gastrointestinal bleeding, in the 3 months before the survey (21.9% versus 6.9%; P<0.05. Both groups reported high medication adherence (dabigatran users 0.65 versus warfarin users 0.63 missed doses/month. Dabigatran users were more likely than warfarin users to discuss treatment options with their physician before beginning therapy (36.9% versus 24.5%; P<0.05 and less likely to switch anticoagulant medication (10.7% versus 31.9%; P<0.05. Although dabigatran users were more likely to experience adverse events, they reported greater satisfaction with anticoagulation treatment than warfarin users.Conclusion: The efficacy and convenience reported by dabigatran users

  7. The effects of rhythm control strategies versus rate control strategies for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter: a protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sethi, Naqash J; Safi, Sanam; Nielsen, Emil E; Feinberg, Joshua; Gluud, Christian; Jakobsen, Janus C

    2017-03-06

    Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia of the heart with a prevalence of approximately 2% in the western world. Atrial flutter, another arrhythmia, occurs less often with an incidence of approximately 200,000 new patients per year in the USA. Patients with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter have an increased risk of death and morbidities. The management of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter is often based on interventions aiming at either a rhythm control strategy or a rate control strategy. The evidence on the comparable effects of these strategies is unclear. This protocol for a systematic review aims at identifying the best overall treatment strategy for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. This protocol for a systematic review was performed following the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration and the eight-step assessment procedure suggested by Jakobsen and colleagues. We plan to include all relevant randomised clinical trials assessing the effects of any rhythm control strategy versus any rate control strategy. We plan to search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, Science Citation Index Expanded on Web of Science, and BIOSIS to identify relevant trials. Any eligible trial will be assessed and classified as either high risk of bias or low risk of bias, and our conclusions will be based on trials with low risk of bias. The analyses of the extracted data will be performed using Review Manager 5 and Trial Sequential Analysis. For both our primary and secondary outcomes, we will create a 'Summary of Findings' table and use GRADE assessment to assess the quality of the evidence. The results of this systematic review have the potential to benefit thousands of patients worldwide as well as healthcare systems and healthcare economy. PROSPERO CRD42016051433.

  8. Tailored treatment strategies : a new approach for modern management of atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Gelder, I. C.; Hobbelt, A. H.; Marcos, E. G.; Schotten, U.; Cappato, R.; Lewalter, T.; Schwieler, J.; Rienstra, M.; Boriani, G.

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is not benign. Cardiovascular diseases and risk factors differ importantly amongst patients. Careful phenotyping with the aim to start tailored therapy may improve outcome and quality of life. Furthermore, structural remodelling plays an important role in initiation and

  9. Non-major bleeding with apixaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bahit, M.C.; Lopes, R.D.; Wojdyla, D.M.; Held, C.; Hanna, M.; Vinereanu, D.; Hylek, E.M.; Verheugt, F.W.; Goto, S.; Alexander, J.H.; Wallentin, L.; Granger, C.B.

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: We describe the incidence, location and management of non-major bleeding, and assess the association between non-major bleeding and clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving anticoagulation therapy enrolled in Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and other

  10. Is there any relationship between RDW levels and atrial fibrillation in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2014-03-01

    Mar 1, 2014 ... Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac ... Cut-off point was at 14,195 and Sensitive, specificity was %71,4, ... Conclusion: RDW levels were higher in hypertensive patients with ... triglyceride (TG) were determined by a hospital auto ... Areas under the curve (AUC) were .... myocardial infarction.

  11. The mechanisms of atrial fibrillation in hyperthyroidism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bielecka-Dabrowa Agata

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF is a complex condition with several possible contributing factors. The rapid and irregular heartbeat produced by AF increases the risk of blood clot formation inside the heart. These clots may eventually become dislodged, causing embolism, stroke and other disorders. AF occurs in up to 15% of patients with hyperthyroidism compared to 4% of people in the general population and is more common in men and in patients with triiodothyronine (T3 toxicosis. The incidence of AF increases with advancing age. Also, subclinical hyperthyroidism is a risk factor associated with a 3-fold increase in development of AF. Thyrotoxicosis exerts marked influences on electrical impulse generation (chronotropic effect and conduction (dromotropic effect. Several potential mechanisms could be invoked for the effect of thyroid hormones on AF risk, including elevation of left atrial pressure secondary to increased left ventricular mass and impaired ventricular relaxation, ischemia resulting from increased resting heart rate, and increased atrial eopic activity. Reentry has been postulated as one of the main mechanisms leading to AF. AF is more likely if effective refractory periods are short and conduction is slow. Hyperthyroidism is associated with shortening of action potential duration which may also contribute to AF.

  12. Safety and efficacy of vernakalant for acute cardioversion of atrial fibrillation: an update

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dobrev D

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Yukiomi Tsuji,1 Dobromir Dobrev1–3 1Institute of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 2Division of Experimental Cardiology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, 3Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forshcung [German Center for Cardiovascular Research], partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany Abstract: Intravenous vernakalant has recently been approved in Europe as an atrial-selective antiarrhythmic drug for the conversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation (AF. It inhibits atrial-selective K+ currents (IK,ACh and IKur and causes rate-dependent atrial-predominant Na+ channel block, with only a small inhibitory effect on the rapid delayed rectifier K+ current (IKr in the ventricle. Due to its atrial-selective properties, vernakalant prolongs the effective refractory period of the atria with minimal effects on the ventricles, being associated with a low proarrhythmic risk for torsades de pointes arrhythmias. Five pivotal clinical trials consistently demonstrated that vernakalant rapidly terminates AF with stable maintenance of sinus rhythm for up to 24 hours. A head-to-head comparative trial showed that the 90-minute conversion rate of vernakalant was substantially higher than that of amiodarone. Initially, a longer-acting oral formulation of vernakalant was shown to be effective and safe in preventing AF recurrence after cardioversion in a Phase IIb study. However, the clinical studies testing oral vernakalant for maintenance of sinus rhythm after AF cardioversion were prematurely halted for undisclosed reasons. This review article provides an update on the safety and efficacy of intravenous vernakalant for the rapid cardioversion of AF. Keywords: atrial fibrillation, antiarrhythmic drug, atrial-selective K+ currents, Na+ channel block, ventricles

  13. Psychosomatic correlations in atrial fibrillations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir Ernstovich Medvedev

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Patients with atrial fibrillations (AF and comorbid mental disorders were examined. Two patient groups differing in the structure of psychosomatic ratios were identified. Group 1 comprised patients with AF and signs of reactivity lability that manifested itself as psychopathological reactions to the primary manifestations of AF; Group 2 included those who had developed mental disorders mainly in end-stage cardiovascular disease (predominantly a permanent form of AF in the presence of such events as chronic heart failure (CHF. The results of the study suggest that the patients with AF have frequently anxiety and hypochondriacal disorders, which agrees with the data available in the literature. In addition, end-stage AF is marked by depressive syndromes caused by the severe course of cardiovascular diseases resulting in CHF.

  14. Safety of transvenous low energy cardioversion of atrial fibrillation in patients with a history of ventricular tachycardia: effects of rate and repolarization time on proarrhythmic risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simons, G R; Newby, K H; Kearney, M M; Brandon, M J; Natale, A

    1998-02-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of transvenous low energy cardioversion of atrial fibrillation in patients with ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation and to study the mechanisms of proarrhythmia. Previous studies have demonstrated that cardioversion of atrial fibrillation using low energy, R wave synchronized, direct current shocks applied between catheters in the coronary sinus and right atrium is feasible. However, few data are available regarding the risk of ventricular proarrhythmia posed by internal atrial defibrillation shocks among patients with ventricular arrhythmias or structural heart disease. Atrial defibrillation was performed on 32 patients with monomorphic ventricular tachycardia and left ventricular dysfunction. Shocks were administered during atrial fibrillation (baseline shocks), isoproterenol infusion, ventricular pacing, ventricular tachycardia, and atrial pacing. Baseline shocks were also administered to 29 patients with a history of atrial fibrillation but no ventricular arrhythmias. A total of 932 baseline shocks were administered. No ventricular proarrhythmia was observed after well-synchronized baseline shocks, although rare inductions of ventricular fibrillation occurred after inappropriate T wave sensing. Shocks administered during wide-complex rhythms (ventricular pacing or ventricular tachycardia) frequently induced ventricular arrhythmias, but shocks administered during atrial pacing at identical ventricular rates did not cause proarrhythmia. The risk of ventricular proarrhythmia after well-synchronized atrial defibrillation shocks administered during narrow-complex rhythms is low, even in patients with a history of ventricular tachycardia. The mechanism of proarrhythmia during wide-complex rhythms appears not to be related to ventricular rate per se, but rather to the temporal relationship between shock delivery and the repolarization time of the previous QRS complex.

  15. Risk of atrial fibrillation among bisphosphonate users: a multicenter, population-based, Italian study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, L; Leal, I; Lapi, F; Schuemie, M; Arcoraci, V; Cipriani, F; Sessa, E; Vaccheri, A; Piccinni, C; Staniscia, T; Vestri, A; Di Bari, M; Corrao, G; Zambon, A; Gregori, D; Carle, F; Sturkenboom, M; Mazzaglia, G; Trifiro, G

    2015-05-01

    Bisphosphonate treatment is used to prevent bone fractures. A controversial association of bisphosphonate use and risk of atrial fibrillation has been reported. In our study, current alendronate users were associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation as compared with those who had stopped bisphosphonate (BP) therapy for more than 1 year. Bisphosphonates are widely used to prevent bone fractures. Controversial findings regarding the association between bisphosphonate use and the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of AF in association with BP exposure. We performed a nested case-control study using the databases of drug-dispensing and hospital discharge diagnoses from five Italian regions. The data cover a period ranging from July 1, 2003 to December 31, 2006. The study population comprised new users of bisphosphonates aged 55 years and older. Patients were followed from the first BP prescription until an occurrence of an AF diagnosis (index date, i.e., ID), cancer, death, or the end of the study period, whichever came first. For the risk estimation, any AF case was matched by age and sex to up to 10 controls from the same source population. A conditional logistic regression was performed to obtain the odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The BP exposure was classified into current (reference point. A subgroup analysis by individual BP was then carried out. In comparison with distant past users of BP, current users of BP showed an almost twofold increased risk of AF: odds ratio (OR) = 1.78 and 95% CI = 1.46-2.16. Specifically, alendronate users were mostly associated with AF as compared with distant past use of BP (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.59-2.43). In our nested case-control study, current users of BP are associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation as compared with those who had stopped BP treatment for more than 1 year.

  16. Effect of sinus rhythm restoration on plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in patients with atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    An Liping; Jin Zhexiu; Zhang Chengqiu

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To study the changes of plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels before and after sinus rhythm restoration in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) but normal left ventricle function and to explore the role of BNP in AF. Methods: Plasma BNP levels were measured with RIA in 68 patients and 34 controls. Results: Twenty four hours after successful cardioversion, plasma BNP levels decreased significantly in all the patients. The 30 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were all restored to sinus rhythm and levels of plasma BNP dropped from 96±42pg/ml to 28 ±21pg/ml. Of the 38 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, 28 of them were restored to sinus rhythm, in whom levels of plasma BNP dropped from 73±38pg/ml to 38±25pg/ml. Conclusion: The presence of AF should be taken into consideration when interpreting plasma BNP levels in patients with heart disease. (authors)

  17. Pacing for the Suppression of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in an 87-year-old Patient

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adel El-Bialy

    2003-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Sinus node dysfunction, atrioventricular (AV block and atrial fibrillation (AF are associated with advanced age. Required therapy commonly includes pacemaker implantation. Methods: We report the course of therapy for an 87-year-old with symptomatic sinus node dysfunction and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who was intolerant of drug therapy. Results: The patient received a pacemaker for treatment of sick sinus syndrome. She continued to have symptomatic episodes of AF and was intolerant of pharmacologic therapy despite adequate rate support provided by the pacemaker. The AF suppression algorithm in the pacemaker was enabled, resulting in the elimination all AF episodes effectively eliminating the need for antiarrhythmic medication. If this continues to stabilize her atrium, withdrawal of anticoagulation therapy is anticipated. Conclusions: The clinical presentation of sinus node dysfunction and related conduction abnormalities is common in the elderly. Pharmacologic management is often a challenge in the presence of the advanced age and concomitant disease processes. In individuals who have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or are likely to develop this and who need a pacemaker for standard indications, the availability of an AF Suppression™ algorithm may facilitate their management without needed to use medications or being able to utilize lower doses of those medications.

  18. Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Current Strategies and Recommendations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerald V. Naccarelli, MD

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Stroke is the most common complication of atrial fibrillation (AF. Guidelines recommend anticoagulant treatment in patients with CHA2DS2VASc scores of >2. Registry data suggests that almost half of patients who should be on therapeutic anticoagulation for stroke prevention in AF (SPAF are not. Warfarin and more recently developed agents, the “novel anticoagulants” (NOACs reduce the risk of embolic strokes. In addition, the NOACs also reduce intracranial hemorrhage (ICH by over 50% compared to warfarin. Anticoagulation and bridging strategies involving cardioversion, catheter ablation, and invasive/surgical procedures are reviewed. The development of reversal agents for NOACs and the introduction of left atrial appendage occluding devices will evolve the use of newer strategies for preventing stroke in high risk AF patients.

  19. Short and middle term outcome of radiofrequency catheter ablation for paroxysmal and sustained atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, Mitsunori; Sueda, Takashi; Hashimoto, Masaki; Fukuda, Yukihiro; Iwamoto, Akimichi; Matsumoto, Takeshi; Shintani, Yumiko; Iwasaki, Toshitaka; Kinoshita, Hiroki

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess short and middle term outcome of radiofrequency catheter ablation for drug-refractory paroxysmal and sustained atrial fibrillation. Subjects were 30 patients of atrial fibrillation (19 paroxysmal, 11 sustained) who underwent extensive pulmonary vein isolation from January 2007 to August 2009 in our department. Twenty three men and seven women, aged from 44 to 76 years, were enrolled. Follow-up period was one to 32 months. Drug free success was 33%, but symptoms and electrocardiogram (EGG) findings were improved in 93 % of the patients by administration of anti-arrhythmic agents. Five of the six patients with bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome was free from pacemaker implantation. Left ventricular ejection fraction was improved in two patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)-like left ventricular dysfunction. One case had cardiac tamponade and transient ST elevation due to right coronary air embolism were observed in two cases. There were no death and no cerebrovascular events during the procedures and follow-up periods. In conclusion, radiofrequency catheter ablation for paroxysmal and sustained atrial fibrillation in our department may be highly acceptable new method for improving the symptoms and clinical signs of the patients. (author)

  20. Contemporary management of patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation: in-hospital and 1-year follow-up findings from the ESC-EHRA atrial fibrillation ablation long-term registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbelo, Elena; Brugada, Josep; Blomström-Lundqvist, Carina; Laroche, Cécile; Kautzner, Josef; Pokushalov, Evgeny; Raatikainen, Pekka; Efremidis, Michael; Hindricks, Gerhard; Barrera, Alberto; Maggioni, Aldo; Tavazzi, Luigi; Dagres, Nikolaos

    2017-05-01

    The ESC-EHRA Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Long-Term registry is a prospective, multinational study that aims at providing an accurate picture of contemporary real-world ablation for atrial fibrillation (AFib) and its outcome. A total of 104 centres in 27 European countries participated and were asked to enrol 20-50 consecutive patients scheduled for first and re-do AFib ablation. Pre-procedural, procedural and 1-year follow-up data were captured on a web-based electronic case record form. Overall, 3630 patients were included, of which 3593 underwent an AFib ablation (98.9%). Median age was 59 years and 32.4% patients had lone atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary vein isolation was attempted in 98.8% of patients and achieved in 95-97%. AFib-related symptoms were present in 97%. In-hospital complications occurred in 7.8% and one patient died due to an atrioesophageal fistula. One-year follow-up was performed in 3180 (88.6%) at a median of 12.4 months (11.9-13.4) after ablation: 52.8% by clinical visit, 44.2% by telephone contact and 3.0% by contact with the general practitioner. At 12-months, the success rate with or without antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) was 73.6%. A significant portion (46%) was still on AADs. Late complications included 14 additional deaths (4 cardiac, 4 vascular, 6 other causes) and 333 (10.7%) other complications. AFib ablation in clinical practice is mostly performed in symptomatic, relatively young and otherwise healthy patients. Overall success rate is satisfactory, but complication rate remains considerable and a significant portion of patients remain on AADs. Monitoring after ablation shows wide variations. Antithrombotic treatment after ablation shows insufficient guideline-adherence. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Gene Expression Networks in the Murine Pulmonary Myocardium Provide Insight into the Pathobiology of Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jordan K. Boutilier

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The pulmonary myocardium is a muscular coat surrounding the pulmonary and caval veins. Although its definitive physiological function is unknown, it may have a pathological role as the source of ectopic beats initiating atrial fibrillation. How the pulmonary myocardium gains pacemaker function is not clearly defined, although recent evidence indicates that changed transcriptional gene expression networks are at fault. The gene expression profile of this distinct cell type in situ was examined to investigate underlying molecular events that might contribute to atrial fibrillation. Via systems genetics, a whole-lung transcriptome data set from the BXD recombinant inbred mouse resource was analyzed, uncovering a pulmonary cardiomyocyte gene network of 24 transcripts, coordinately regulated by chromosome 1 and 2 loci. Promoter enrichment analysis and interrogation of publicly available ChIP-seq data suggested that transcription of this gene network may be regulated by the concerted activity of NKX2-5, serum response factor, myocyte enhancer factor 2, and also, at a post-transcriptional level, by RNA binding protein motif 20. Gene ontology terms indicate that this gene network overlaps with molecular markers of the stressed heart. Therefore, we propose that perturbed regulation of this gene network might lead to altered calcium handling, myocyte growth, and contractile force contributing to the aberrant electrophysiological properties observed in atrial fibrillation. We reveal novel molecular interactions and pathways representing possible therapeutic targets for atrial fibrillation. In addition, we highlight the utility of recombinant inbred mouse resources in detecting and characterizing gene expression networks of relatively small populations of cells that have a pathological significance.

  2. Does elevated C-reactive protein increase atrial fibrillation risk? A Mendelian randomization of 47,000 individuals from the general population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marott, Sarah C W; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Zacho, Jeppe

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to test whether the association of C-reactive protein (CRP) with increased risk of atrial fibrillation is a robust and perhaps even causal association.......The purpose of this study was to test whether the association of C-reactive protein (CRP) with increased risk of atrial fibrillation is a robust and perhaps even causal association....

  3. Left atrial appendage occlusion with Amplatzer Cardio Plug is an acceptable therapeutic option for prevention of stroke recurrence in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and contraindication or failure of oral anticoagulation with acenocumarol

    OpenAIRE

    Hawkes, Maximiliano A.; Pertierra, Lucía; Rodriguez-Lucci, Federico; Pujol-Lereis, Virginia A.; Ameriso, Sebastián F.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) appears as a therapeutic option for some atrial fibrillation patients not suitable for oral anticoagulation because an increased hemorrhagic risk or recurrent ischemic events despite anticoagulant treatment. Methods Report of consecutive atrial fibrillation patients treated with LAAO with Amplatzer Cardio Plug because contraindication or failure of oral anticoagulation with acenocumarol. CHA2DS2VASC, HAS-BLED, NIHSS, mRS, procedural complicati...

  4. Expression of TGFbeta1 in pulmonary vein stenosis after radiofrequency ablation in chronic atrial fibrillation of dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shufeng; Li, Hongli; Mingyan, E; Yu, Bo

    2009-02-01

    The development of pulmonary vein stenosis has recently been described after radiofrequency ablation (RF) to treat atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to examine expression of TGFbeta1 in pulmonary vein stenosis after radiofrequency ablation in chronic atrial fibrillation of dogs. About 28 mongrel dogs were randomly assigned to the sham-operated group (n = 7), the AF group (n = 7), AF + RF group (n = 7), and RF group (n = 7). In AF or AF + RF groups, dogs underwent chronic pulmonary vein (PV) pacing to induce sustained AF. RF application was applied around the PVs until electrical activity was eliminated. Histological assessment of pulmonary veins was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining; TGFbeta1 gene expression in pulmonary veins was examined by RT-PCR analysis; expression of TGFbeta1 protein in pulmonary veins was assessed by Western blot analysis. Rapid pacing from the left superior pulmonary vein (LSPV) induced sustained AF in AF group and AF + RF group. Pulmonary vein ablation terminated the chronic atrial fibrillation in dogs. Histological examination revealed necrotic tissues in various stages of collagen replacement, intimal thickening, and cartilaginous metaplasia with chondroblasts and chondroclasts. Compared with sham-operated and AF group, TGFbeta1 gene and protein expressions was increased in AF + RF or RF groups. It was concluded that TGFbeta1 might be associated with pulmonary vein stenosis after radiofrequency ablation in chronic atrial fibrillation of dogs.

  5. Management strategies for optimal control of anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Levi, Marcel; De Peuter, Olaf R.; Kamphuisen, Pieter W.

    2009-01-01

    Most patients with atrial fibrillation need anticoagulant treatment with vitamin K antagonists for prevention of thromboembolism, in particular ischemic stroke. Many studies show the efficacy of this treatment but also that it is difficult to keep patients who use vitamin K antagonists in the proper

  6. A survey on the treatment of atrial fibrillation in South Africa | Jardine ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. The burden of cardiovascular disease is expected to escalate in developing countries. However, studies and guidelines concerning atrial fibrillation (AF) are restricted to the developed world. Objectives. To assess the treatment modalities of AF in South Africa. Methods. A cross-sectional, observational, ...

  7. Renal function, time in therapeutic range and outcomes in warfarin-treated atrial fibrillation patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bonde, Anders Nissen; Lip, Gregory Y H; Kamper, Anne-Lise

    2017-01-01

    Patients with severely reduced renal function have been excluded from randomized controlled trials of oral anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation (AF). Warfarin treatment in this population is controversial and data on anticoagulation control and the impact on adverse outcomes are needed. By indi......Patients with severely reduced renal function have been excluded from randomized controlled trials of oral anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation (AF). Warfarin treatment in this population is controversial and data on anticoagulation control and the impact on adverse outcomes are needed......) was calculated using the Rosendaal method. The risk of stroke and bleeding was estimated using multivariable Cox regression analyses with eGFR and TTR estimated time dependently throughout follow-up. We identified 10,423 warfarin-treated AF patients with available international normalized ratio and creatinine...

  8. What patients want and need to know about atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McCabe PJ

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Pamela J McCabe Saint Mary's Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Abstract: Clinicians in a variety of settings are called upon to care for patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF, a common chronic condition that affects up to 3 million people in the USA. Evidence-based guidelines provide clinicians with direction for treatment of AF, but recommended content for educating patients and counseling about self-management of AF is not included in published guidelines. When patients believe they have a good understanding of AF they report fewer symptoms, perceive greater control over AF, and attribute less emotional distress to AF. Thus, providing patients with information about AF and how to manage it is important for promoting positive outcomes. The purpose of this article is to offer evidence-based recommendations for content to include in self-management education and counseling for patients with AF. Approaches for educating and counseling patients related to AF pathophysiology, the nature of AF (its cause, consequences, and trajectory, treatments, action plans, and symptom management, and managing the psychosocial challenges of living with AF, are discussed. Keywords: atrial fibrillation, patient education, self-management education, counseling

  9. Pulmonary vein isolation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kumar S

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Saurabh Kumar, Gregory F Michaud Cardiac Arrhythmia Service, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF is the commonest arrhythmia in humans and is associated with marked reduction in quality of life and an elevated thromboembolic risk. Paroxysmal, persistent, and permanent forms of AF have been recognized. Whilst antiarrhythmic drugs are considered as first-line therapy, the role of catheter ablation is increasing due to its superior efficacy in terms of quality of life and reduction in AF burden. The central paradigm for catheter ablation of AF is that triggers for AF are located near and within the pulmonary veins (PVs, and electrical isolation of the PVs from the left atrium forms the cornerstone of most catheter ablation strategies. Whilst paroxysmal form is generally trigger dependent, persistent and permanent forms are associated with variable interaction between triggers and "substrate" comprised of atrial and PV electrical and structural remodeling. Nevertheless, isolation of the PVs still forms a critical component of catheter ablation strategies, regardless of AF type. Procedural efficacy, however, is limited by PV conduction recovery. This is likely due to deficiencies in ablation tools or limitations of intraprocedural assessment of lesion efficacy. Careful attention to surrogates of tissue heating, such as impedance decrease and electrogram morphology changes, along with advances in catheter technology like contact force catheters may improve rates of durable PV isolation and single-procedural success. This review discusses the mechanism of paroxysmal AF with particular focus on the role of the PVs in AF initiation and PV isolation in the management of AF. Keywords: contact force, lesion transmurality, radiofrequency catheter ablation, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, electrophysiology, AF

  10. Apixaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granger, Christopher B; Alexander, John H; McMurray, John J V; Lopes, Renato D; Hylek, Elaine M; Hanna, Michael; Al-Khalidi, Hussein R; Ansell, Jack; Atar, Dan; Avezum, Alvaro; Bahit, M Cecilia; Diaz, Rafael; Easton, J Donald; Ezekowitz, Justin A; Flaker, Greg; Garcia, David; Geraldes, Margarida; Gersh, Bernard J; Golitsyn, Sergey; Goto, Shinya; Hermosillo, Antonio G; Hohnloser, Stefan H; Horowitz, John; Mohan, Puneet; Jansky, Petr; Lewis, Basil S; Lopez-Sendon, Jose Luis; Pais, Prem; Parkhomenko, Alexander; Verheugt, Freek W A; Zhu, Jun; Wallentin, Lars

    2011-09-15

    Vitamin K antagonists are highly effective in preventing stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation but have several limitations. Apixaban is a novel oral direct factor Xa inhibitor that has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke in a similar population in comparison with aspirin. In this randomized, double-blind trial, we compared apixaban (at a dose of 5 mg twice daily) with warfarin (target international normalized ratio, 2.0 to 3.0) in 18,201 patients with atrial fibrillation and at least one additional risk factor for stroke. The primary outcome was ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. The trial was designed to test for noninferiority, with key secondary objectives of testing for superiority with respect to the primary outcome and to the rates of major bleeding and death from any cause. The median duration of follow-up was 1.8 years. The rate of the primary outcome was 1.27% per year in the apixaban group, as compared with 1.60% per year in the warfarin group (hazard ratio with apixaban, 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66 to 0.95; P<0.001 for noninferiority; P=0.01 for superiority). The rate of major bleeding was 2.13% per year in the apixaban group, as compared with 3.09% per year in the warfarin group (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.80; P<0.001), and the rates of death from any cause were 3.52% and 3.94%, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.99; P=0.047). The rate of hemorrhagic stroke was 0.24% per year in the apixaban group, as compared with 0.47% per year in the warfarin group (hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.75; P<0.001), and the rate of ischemic or uncertain type of stroke was 0.97% per year in the apixaban group and 1.05% per year in the warfarin group (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.13; P=0.42). In patients with atrial fibrillation, apixaban was superior to warfarin in preventing stroke or systemic embolism, caused less bleeding, and resulted in lower mortality. (Funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb

  11. Focal ablation for atrial tachycardia from the double-exit of the Marshall bundle inducing atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung Yeon Chin, MD

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation (AF from the ligament/vein of Marshall (LOM/VOM has previously been described. We report the case of a 23-year-old woman with an antiarrhythmic drug-resistant AF induced by two distinct atrial tachycardias (ATs. Focal ablation of these ATs from the double-exit of the Marshall bundle using a three-dimensional map eliminated AF triggering, even though pulmonary vein electrical isolation is the cornerstone for paroxysmal AF. Such mechanisms are important as triggering factors to plan ablation for paroxysmal AF. Focal ablation for triggering and inducing AF, originating from the double-exit of the Marshall bundle may be effective in eliminating AF in young patients.

  12. Atrial electrogram quality in single-pass defibrillator leads with floating atrial bipole in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation and cardiac resynchronization therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sticherling, Christian; Müller, Dirk; Schaer, Beat A; Krüger, Silke; Kolb, Christof

    2018-03-27

    Many patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) suffer from permanent atrial fibrillation (AF). Knowledge of the atrial rhythm is important to direct pharmacological or interventional treatment as well as maintaining AV-synchronous biventricular pacing if sinus rhythm can be restored. A single pass single-coil defibrillator lead with a floating atrial bipole has been shown to obtain reliable information about the atrial rhythm but has never been employed in a CRT-system. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of implanting a single coil right ventricular ICD lead with a floating atrial bipole and the signal quality of atrial electrograms (AEGM) in CRT-defibrillator recipients with permanent AF. Seventeen patients (16 males, mean age 73 ± 6 years, mean EF 25 ± 5%) with permanent AF and an indication for CRT-defibrillator placement were implanted with a designated CRT-D system comprising a single pass defibrillator lead with a atrial floating bipole. They were followed-up for 103 ± 22 days using remote monitoring for AEGM transmission. All patients had at last one AEGM suitable for atrial rhythm diagnosis and of 100 AEGM 99% were suitable for visual atrial rhythm assessment. Four patients were discharged in sinus rhythm and one reverted to AF during follow-up. Atrial electrograms retrieved from a single-pass defibrillator lead with a floating atrial bipole can be reliably used for atrial rhythm diagnosis in CRT recipients with permanent AF. Hence, a single pass ventricular defibrillator lead with a floating bipole can be considered in this population. Copyright © 2018 Indian Heart Rhythm Society. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathways in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: the long-term mortality and risk of atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borregaard, Rune; Lukac, Peter; Gerdes, Christian; Møller, Dorthe; Mortensen, Peter Thomas; Pedersen, Lars; Nielsen, Jens Cosedis; Jensen, Henrik Kjærulf

    2015-01-01

    To assess the long-term mortality and occurrence of post-ablation atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing a radiofrequency ablation for the Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. A retrospective cohort study of patients (N = 362) subjected to radiofrequency ablation of the WPW syndrome at Aarhus University Hospital from 1990 to 2011. A comparison cohort (N = 3619) was generated from the Danish National Board of Health Central Population Registry. We found no significant difference in all-cause mortality when comparing the WPW group with the control group [hazard ratio (HR): 0.77 and confidence interval (CI): 0.47-1.25]. After radiofrequency ablation, the WPW group had a significantly higher risk of atrial fibrillation than the control group (HR: 4.77 and CI: 3.05-7.43). Atrial fibrillation prior to ablation (HR: 4.66 and CI: 2.09-10.41) and age over 50 years (HR: 9.79 and CI: 4.29-22.36) at the time of ablation were independent risk factors for post-ablation atrial fibrillation in the WPW group. Patients with radiofrequency ablation-treated WPW syndrome have a post-ablation mortality that is similar to the background population. The risk of atrial fibrillation remains high after radiofrequency ablation of the WPW syndrome. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. RIVAROXABAN IN THE PREVENTION OF THROMBOEMBOLIC COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Yu. Gilyarov

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The possibilities of antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation are highlighted. The alternative antithrombotic agents, including rivaroxaban presented along with the traditional drugs (acetyl-salicylic acid, warfarin. Efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban is considered on the basis of the results of the ROCKET-AF study.

  15. A NORMAL BRADYSYSTOLIC FORM OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (FREDERICQ’S SYNDROME: LATE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Ye. Trekina

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available It is presented a case of delayed diagnosis brad systole against permanent atrial fibrillation (syndrome Frederick which became to syncope patient and to the later implanting of pacemaker.

  16. Improving antithrombotic management in patients with atrial fibrillation: current status and perspectives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Levi, Marcel; Hobbs, F D Richard; Jacobson, Alan K

    2009-01-01

    Despite overwhelming evidence of the benefits of risk-adjusted oral anticoagulation on stroke reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), there is still considerable undertreatment. A multidisciplinary expert group was formed to discuss issues surrounding anticoagulant treatment of patie......, such as anticoagulation clinics, or by patient self-management may improve the quality of anticoagulation and facilitate the management of these patients and thereby further facilitate optimal antithrombotic management in patients with AF.......Despite overwhelming evidence of the benefits of risk-adjusted oral anticoagulation on stroke reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), there is still considerable undertreatment. A multidisciplinary expert group was formed to discuss issues surrounding anticoagulant treatment...... important conclusions of the meeting was to enhance guideline adherence by better communication of the data showing that the benefits of stroke reduction outweigh the risk of bleeding associated with treatment with vitamin K antagonists. Management of oral anticoagulation therapy by dedicated centers...

  17. Atrial Fibrillation Predictors: Importance of the Electrocardiogram.

    Science.gov (United States)

    German, David M; Kabir, Muammar M; Dewland, Thomas A; Henrikson, Charles A; Tereshchenko, Larisa G

    2016-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in adults and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Substantial interest has developed in the primary prevention of AF, and thus the identification of individuals at risk for developing AF. The electrocardiogram (ECG) provides a wealth of information, which is of value in predicting incident AF. The PR interval and P wave indices (including P wave duration, P wave terminal force, P wave axis, and other measures of P wave morphology) are discussed with regard to their ability to predict and characterize AF risk in the general population. The predictive value of the QT interval, ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy, and findings of atrial and ventricular ectopy are also discussed. Efforts are underway to develop models that predict AF incidence in the general population; however, at present, little information from the ECG is included in these models. The ECG provides a great deal of information on AF risk and has the potential to contribute substantially to AF risk estimation, but more research is needed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Ventricular fibrillation development following atrial fibrillation after the ingestion of sildenaphil in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inci, Sinan; Izgu, Ibrahim; Aktas, Halil; Dogan, Pinar; Dogan, Ali

    2015-08-01

    Complications in the accessory pathway in Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome could cause different clinical conditions by inducing different arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of these arrhythmias and is important as it causes life-threatening arrhythmias. It is known that some drugs, underlying cardiac diseases, and the number of accessory pathways, cause a predisposition to this condition. In the current report, we presented a patient with WPW who was admitted to the emergency department with AF, wide QRS and a rapid ventricular response that progressed to ventricular fibrillation.

  19. Cardioversion for atrial fibrillation in current European practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hernández-Madrid, Antonio; Svendsen, Jesper Hastrup; Lip, Gregory Y.H.

    2013-01-01

    This survey was conducted to provide an insight into the current clinical practice regarding the use of cardioversion for atrial fibrillation (AF) in Europe. Responses were received from 57 centres across Europe, 71.9% of which were university hospitals. For electrical cardioversion, general...... anaesthesia was managed by an anaesthesiologist in 73.9% of centres and by a cardiologist in 37%. In the majority of centres, electrical cardioversion was performed using a biphasic defibrillator (85.1%). Antiarrhythmic drugs were routinely prescribed prior to electrical cardioversion by 54.3% of hospitals...

  20. The predictive value of transthoracic echocardiographic variables for sinus rhythm maintenance after electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Results from the CAPRAF study, a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grundvold, Irene; Tveit, Arnljot; Smith, Pål; Seljeflot, Ingebjørg; Abdelnoor, Michael; Arnesen, Harald

    2008-01-01

    The recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation after electrical cardioversion is disappointingly high. The aim of the present study was to prospectively investigate if standard echocardiographic variables at the day of cardioversion could predict sinus rhythm maintenance. Transthoracic echocardiographic examination was performed within 4 h after cardioversion for all the patients in the CAPRAF (Candesartan in the Prevention of Relapsing Atrial Fibrillation) study. Cardioversion was successful for 137 patients not given specific antiarrhythmic therapy, and only 41 (30%) maintained sinus rhythm at 6-month follow-up. There were significant (p = 0.05) lower transmitral A wave velocities in the group with relapsing atrial fibrillation compared with the group with sinus rhythm at 6-month follow-up. All patients with the lowest A wave velocities had an early recurrence of atrial fibrillation. There were no differences between the groups regarding atrial dimensions or left ventricular function. The use of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist candesartan had no influence on the echocardiographic variables, nor on the recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation after cardioversion. Transthoracic echocardiographic examination performed a short time after electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation showed that only A wave peak velocities were significantly predictive of sinus rhythm maintenance 6 months after the procedure. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  1. Comprehensive risk reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation: emerging diagnostic and therapeutic options—a report from the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation Competence NETwork/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirchhof, Paulus; Lip, Gregory Y.H.; Van Gelder, Isabelle C.; Bax, Jeroen; Hylek, Elaine; Kaab, Stefan; Schotten, Ulrich; Wegscheider, Karl; Boriani, Giuseppe; Brandes, Axel; Ezekowitz, Michael; Diener, Hans; Haegeli, Laurent; Heidbuchel, Hein; Lane, Deirdre; Mont, Luis; Willems, Stephan; Dorian, Paul; Aunes-Jansson, Maria; Blomstrom-Lundqvist, Carina; Borentain, Maria; Breitenstein, Stefanie; Brueckmann, Martina; Cater, Nilo; Clemens, Andreas; Dobrev, Dobromir; Dubner, Sergio; Edvardsson, Nils G.; Friberg, Leif; Goette, Andreas; Gulizia, Michele; Hatala, Robert; Horwood, Jenny; Szumowski, Lukas; Kappenberger, Lukas; Kautzner, Josef; Leute, Angelika; Lobban, Trudie; Meyer, Ralf; Millerhagen, Jay; Morgan, John; Muenzel, Felix; Nabauer, Michael; Baertels, Christoph; Oeff, Michael; Paar, Dieter; Polifka, Juergen; Ravens, Ursula; Rosin, Ludger; Stegink, W.; Steinbeck, Gerhard; Vardas, Panos; Vincent, Alphons; Walter, Maureen; Breithardt, Günter; Camm, A. John

    2012-01-01

    While management of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is improved by guideline-conform application of anticoagulant therapy, rate control, rhythm control, and therapy of accompanying heart disease, the morbidity and mortality associated with AF remain unacceptably high. This paper describes the proceedings of the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET)/European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) consensus conference that convened over 60 scientists and representatives from industry to jointly discuss emerging therapeutic and diagnostic improvements to achieve better management of AF patients. The paper covers four chapters: (i) risk factors and risk markers for AF; (ii) pathophysiological classification of AF; (iii) relevance of monitored AF duration for AF-related outcomes; and (iv) perspectives and needs for implementing better antithrombotic therapy. Relevant published literature for each section is covered, and suggestions for the improvement of management in each area are put forward. Combined, the propositions formulate a perspective to implement comprehensive management in AF. PMID:21791573

  2. Plasma resistin, adiponectin, and risk of incident atrial fibrillation : The Framingham Offspring Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rienstra, Michel; Sun, Jenny X.; Lubitz, Steven A.; Frankel, David S.; Vasan, Ramachandran S.; Levy, Daniel; Magnani, Jared W.; Sullivan, Lisa M.; Meigs, James B.; Ellinor, Patrick T.; Benjamin, Emelia J.

    BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate whether higher concentrations of resistin and lower concentrations of adiponectin relate to incident atrial fibrillation (AF) and whether this association is mediated by AF risk factors and inflammation. Resistin and adiponectin are adipokines that have been

  3. Percutenous Catheter Ablation of the Accessory Pathway in a Patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome Associated with Familial Atrial Fibrillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cay, Serkan; Topaloglu, Serkan; Aras, Dursun

    2008-01-01

    Percutenous catheter ablation of the accessory pathway in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a highly successful mode of therapy. Sudden cardiac arrest survivors associated with WPW syndrome should undergo radiofrequency catheter ablation. WPW syndrome associated with familial atrial fibrillation is a very rare condition. Herein, we describe a case who presented with sudden cardiac arrest secondary to WPW syndrome and familial atrial fibrillation and treated via radiofrequency catheter ablation. PMID:18379660

  4. NASA's First Atrial Fibrillation Case - Deke Slayton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarver, William J.

    2010-01-01

    Concerns about heart dysrhythmia have been present since the earliest days of the US manned space program. While information about an astronaut's health is general kept private, one of the original seven American astronaut's health status was played out in a very public forum. Donald "Deke" Slayton was removed from the second manned space flight when it was discovered he had idiopathic atrial fibrillation. Referencing the original medical documents, details of how this was discovered and managed from the medical perspective will be reviewed. This is NASA's first heart dysrhythmia case in an astronaut and it proves quite interesting when placed in historic perspective.

  5. Atrial Heterogeneity Generates Re-entrant Substrate during Atrial Fibrillation and Anti-arrhythmic Drug Action: Mechanistic Insights from Canine Atrial Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varela, Marta; Hancox, Jules C.; Aslanidi, Oleg V.

    2016-01-01

    Anti-arrhythmic drug therapy is a frontline treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF), but its success rates are highly variable. This is due to incomplete understanding of the mechanisms of action of specific drugs on the atrial substrate at different stages of AF progression. We aimed to elucidate the role of cellular, tissue and organ level atrial heterogeneities in the generation of a re-entrant substrate during AF progression, and their modulation by the acute action of selected anti-arrhythmic drugs. To explore the complex cell-to-organ mechanisms, a detailed biophysical models of the entire 3D canine atria was developed. The model incorporated atrial geometry and fibre orientation from high-resolution micro-computed tomography, region-specific atrial cell electrophysiology and the effects of progressive AF-induced remodelling. The actions of multi-channel class III anti-arrhythmic agents vernakalant and amiodarone were introduced in the model by inhibiting appropriate ionic channel currents according to experimentally reported concentration-response relationships. AF was initiated by applied ectopic pacing in the pulmonary veins, which led to the generation of localized sustained re-entrant waves (rotors), followed by progressive wave breakdown and rotor multiplication in both atria. The simulated AF scenarios were in agreement with observations in canine models and patients. The 3D atrial simulations revealed that a re-entrant substrate was typically provided by tissue regions of high heterogeneity of action potential duration (APD). Amiodarone increased atrial APD and reduced APD heterogeneity and was more effective in terminating AF than vernakalant, which increased both APD and APD dispersion. In summary, the initiation and sustenance of rotors in AF is linked to atrial APD heterogeneity and APD reduction due to progressive remodelling. Our results suggest that anti-arrhythmic strategies that increase atrial APD without increasing its dispersion are

  6. Surface atrial frequency analysis in patients with atrial fibrillation: a tool for evaluating the effects of intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raine, Dan; Langley, Philip; Murray, Alan; Dunuwille, Asunga; Bourke, John P

    2004-09-01

    The aims of this study were to evaluate (1) principal component analysis as a technique for extracting the atrial signal waveform from the standard 12-lead ECG and (2) its ability to distinguish changes in atrial fibrillation (AF) frequency parameters over time and in response to pharmacologic manipulation using drugs with different effects on atrial electrophysiology. Twenty patients with persistent AF were studied. Continuous 12-lead Holter ECGs were recorded for 60 minutes, first, in the drug-free state. Mean and variability of atrial waveform frequency were measured using an automated computer technique. This extracted the atrial signal by principal component analysis and identified the main frequency component using Fourier analysis. Patients were then allotted sequentially to receive 1 of 4 drugs intravenously (amiodarone, flecainide, sotalol, or metoprolol), and changes induced in mean and variability of atrial waveform frequency measured. Mean and variability of atrial waveform frequency did not differ within patients between the two 30-minute sections of the drug-free state. As hypothesized, significant changes in mean and variability of atrial waveform frequency were detected after manipulation with amiodarone (mean: 5.77 vs 4.86 Hz; variability: 0.55 vs 0.31 Hz), flecainide (mean: 5.33 vs 4.72 Hz; variability: 0.71 vs 0.31 Hz), and sotalol (mean: 5.94 vs 4.90 Hz; variability: 0.73 vs 0.40 Hz) but not with metoprolol (mean: 5.41 vs 5.17 Hz; variability: 0.81 vs 0.82 Hz). A technique for continuously analyzing atrial frequency characteristics of AF from the surface ECG has been developed and validated.

  7. Variable use of amiodarone is associated with a greater risk of recurrence of atrial fibrillation in the critically ill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitrić, Goran; Udy, Andrew; Bandeshe, Hiran; Clement, Pierre; Boots, Rob

    2016-04-02

    Atrial fibrillation is a common rhythm disturbance in the general medical-surgical intensive care unit. Amiodarone is a popular drug in this setting but evidence to inform clinical practice remains scarce. We aimed to identify whether variation in the clinical use of amiodarone was associated with recurrent atrial fibrillation. This was a retrospective audit of 177 critically ill patients who developed new-onset atrial fibrillation after admission to a tertiary level medical-surgical trauma intensive care unit. Patterns of amiodarone prescription (including dosage schedule and duration) were assessed in relation to recurrence of atrial fibrillation during the intensive care unit stay. Known recurrence risk factors, such as inotrope administration, cardiac disease indices, Charlson Comorbidity Index, magnesium concentrations, fluid balance, and potassium concentrations, were also included in adjusted analysis using forward stepwise logistic regression modelling. The cohort had a median (interquartile range) age of 69 years (60-75), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evalution II score of 22 (17-28) and Charlson Comorbidity Index of 2 (1-4). A bolus dose of amiodarone followed by infusion (P = 0.02), in addition to continuing amiodarone infusion through to discharge from the intensive care unit (P < 0.001), were associated with less recurrent dysrhythmia. Recurrence after successful treatment was associated with ceasing amiodarone while an inotrope infusion continued (P < 0.001), and was more common in patients with a prior history of congestive cardiac failure (P = 0.04), and a diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (P = 0.02). Amiodarone should be administered as a bolus dose followed immediately with an infusion when treating atrial fibrillation in the medical-surgical intensive care unit. Consideration should be given to continuing amiodarone infusions in patients on inotropes until they are ceased.

  8. Atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bang, Casper N

    2013-10-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication after myocardial infarction (MI) and new-onset AF has been demonstrated to be associated with adverse outcome and a large excess risk of death in both MI and aortic stenosis (AS) patients. Prevention of new-onset AF is therefore a potential therapeutic target in AS and MI patients. Lipid-lowering drugs, particularly statins, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may prevent AF. Accordingly, statins are recommended as a class IIa recommendation for prevention of new-onset AF after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, this preventive effect has not been investigated on new-onset AF in asymptomatic patients with AS or a large scale first-time MI patient sample and data in patients not undergoing invasive cardiac interventions are limited. This PhD thesis was conducted at the Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, Denmark, with the aim to investigate the three aforementioned questions and to add to the existing evidence of AF prevention with statins. This was done using three different settings: 1) a randomized patients sample of 1,873 from the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) study, 2) a register patient sample of 97,499 with first-time MI, and 3) all published studies until beginning of June 2011 examining statin treatment on new-onset and recurrent AF in patients not undergoing cardiac surgery. This thesis revealed that statins did not lower the incidence or the time to new-onset AF in patients with asymptomatic AS. However, statin treatment showed an independently preventive effect on new-onset AF, including type-dependent effect and a trend to dosage-dependent effect. In addition, this thesis showed that good compliance to statin treatment was important to prevent new-onset AF. Finally, the meta-analysis in this PhD thesis showed a preventive effect in the observational studies although this effect was absent in the randomized controlled trials. Based on this PhD thesis

  9. Oclusão percutânea do apêndice atrial esquerdo com o Amplatzer Cardiac PlugTM na fibrilação atrial Percutaneous occlusion of left atrial appendage with the Amplatzer Cardiac PlugTM in atrial fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcio José Montenegro

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Fundamento: A fibrilação atrial está associada a acidentes vasculares embólicos que frequentemente resultam em morte ou invalidez. Eficaz na redução desses eventos, a anticoagulação possui várias limitações e vem sendo amplamente subutilizada. Mais de 90% dos trombos identificados nos portadores de fibrilação atrial sem doença valvar se originam no apêndice atrial esquerdo, cuja oclusão é investigada como uma alternativa à anticoagulação. Objetivo: Determinar a viabilidade da oclusão percutânea do apêndice atrial esquerdo em pacientes com alto risco de eventos embólicos e limitações ao uso de anticoagulação. Métodos: Relatamos a experiência inicial com o Amplatzer Cardiac PlugTM (St. Jude Medical Inc., Saint Paul, Estados Unidos em pacientes com fibrilação atrial não valvar. Foram selecionados pacientes com alto risco de tromboembolia, sangramentos maiores e contraindicações ao uso ou grande labilidade na resposta ao anticoagulante. Os procedimentos foram realizados por via percutânea, sob anestesia geral e com ecocardiografia transesofágica. O desfecho primário foi a presença de complicações periprocedimento e o seguimento programado incluiu reavaliação clínica e ecocardiográfica em 30 dias e por contato telefônico após nove meses. Resultados: Nos cinco pacientes selecionados se conseguiu a oclusão do apêndice atrial esquerdo sem complicações periprocedimento. Não houve eventos clínicos no seguimento. Conclusão: Ensaios clínicos controlados são necessários antes que o fechamento percutâneo do apêndice atrial esquerdo constitua uma alternativa à anticoagulação na fibrilação atrial não associada a doença valvar. Mas o dispositivo se mostrou promissor em pacientes com alto risco de embolia e restrições ao uso de anticoagulantes.Background: Atrial fibrillation is associated with embolic strokes that often result in death or disability. Effective in reducing these events

  10. Rhythm- and Rate-Controlling Effects of Dronedarone in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation (from the ATHENA Trial)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Page, Richard L; Connolly, Stuart J; Crijns, Harry J G M

    2011-01-01

    Dronedarone is a multi-channel-blocking drug for the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) with rate- and rhythm-controlling properties. A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel Arm Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Dronedarone 400 mg b.i.d. for the Prevent......Dronedarone is a multi-channel-blocking drug for the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) with rate- and rhythm-controlling properties. A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel Arm Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Dronedarone 400 mg b...... classified as having permanent AF or AFL. All electrical cardioversions were documented. The use of rate-controlling medications was equally distributed in the 2 treatment groups. The median time to first AF or AFL recurrence of patients in sinus rhythm at baseline was 498 days in placebo patients and 737......, dronedarone demonstrated both rhythm- and rate-controlling properties in ATHENA. These effects are likely to contribute to the reduction of important clinical outcomes observed in this trial....

  11. In the wake of the AFFIRM trial: what we still don't know about the management of atrial fibrillation and where we need to go.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wyse, D George

    2003-06-01

    Five recent trials have been completed comparing the strategy of rhythm control to the strategy of rate control for the management of atrial fibrillation. These trials have demonstrated no clear advantage for the rhythm control strategy using current pharmacologic therapies and that anticoagulation should not be discontinued in high-risk patients, even when it appears that sinus rhythm has been restored and maintained. Although a broad-based research approach is needed to advance our understanding of therapeutic options for the management of atrial fibrillation, the results of these five trials serve to focus the research enterprise on management of this common and often vexing tachyarrhythmia. With this background, the focus of future research on atrial fibrillation is discussed under the following headings: epidemiology and patient taxonomy, pathophysiology, rhythm management and thromboembolism prophylaxis. In each area there are short-term and long-term goals. Some examples follow. The comparison of these two strategies needs to be extended to other large patient groups who have not yet been studied, such as those with heart failure, particularly diastolic dysfunction, and younger patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. A better understanding of pathophysiology is necessary upon which to base a more rational approach to the problem of rhythm management in atrial fibrillation. A better understanding is needed of how to achieve "good" heart rate control. The role of nonpharmacologic therapies for maintenance of sinus rhythm needs more rigorous testing and we need better and safer drugs for this purpose. We need to understand better the relationships between atrial fibrillation and thromboembolism and we need alternatives to warfarin therapy. These and other research efforts are needed to make an impact on management of the problems of atrial fibrillation.

  12. Strategies in the Surgical Management of Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leanne Harling

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Atrial fibrillation (AF is associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic burden and confers a lifetime risk of up to 25%. Current medical management involves thromboembolism prevention, rate, and rhythm control. An increased understanding of AF pathophysiology has led to enhanced pharmacological and medical therapies; however this is often limited by toxicity, variable symptom control, and inability to modulate the atrial substrate. Surgical AF ablation has been available since the original description of the Cox Maze procedure, either as a standalone or concomitant intervention. Advances in novel energy delivery systems have allowed the development of less technically demanding procedures potentially eliminating the need for median sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass. Variations in the definition, duration, and reporting of AF have produced methodological limitations impacting on the validity of interstudy comparisons. Standardization of these parameters may, in future, allow us to further evaluate clinical endpoints and establish the efficacy of these techniques.

  13. Attitudes toward catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation : A nationwide survey among Danish cardiologists

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vadmann, Henrik; Pedersen, S.S.; Nielsen, Jens Cosedis; Rodrigo-Domingo, Maria; Pehrson, Steen; Johannessen, Arne; Hansen, Peter Steen; Johansen, Jens Brock; Riahi, Sam

    2015-01-01

    BackgroundCatheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important but expensive procedure that is the subject of some debate. Physicians' attitudes toward catheter ablation may influence promotion and patient acceptance. This is the first study to examine the attitudes of Danish cardiologists

  14. AV nodal function during atrial fibrillation: the role of electrotonic modulation of propagation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijler, F.L.; Jalife, J.; Beaumont, J.; Vaidya, D.

    1996-01-01

    The irregular ventricular rhythm that accompanies atrial fibrillation (AF) has been explained in terms of concealed conduction within the AV node (AVN). However, the cellular basis of concealed conduction in AF remains poorly understood. Our hypothesis is that electrotonic modulation of AVN

  15. Relationship of left atrial enlargement to persistence or development of ECG left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients: implications for the development of new atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Okin, Peter M; Gerdts, Eva; Wachtell, Kristian

    2010-01-01

    Persistence and development of ECG left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) by Cornell product criteria are associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with regression or continued absence of LVH. We postulated that this association might be in part mediated via greater left atrial...... enlargement (LAE) in patients with new and persistent ECG LVH....

  16. Novel Percutaneous Epicardial Autonomic Modulation in the Canine for Atrial Fibrillation: Results of an Efficacy and Safety Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madhavan, Malini; Venkatachalam, K. L.; Swale, Matthew J.; DeSimone, Christopher V.; Gard, Joseph J.; Johnson, Susan B.; Suddendorf, Scott H.; Mikell, Susan B.; Ladewig, Dorothy J.; Nosbush, Toni Grabinger; Danielsen, Andrew J.; Knudson, Mark; Asirvatham, Samuel J.

    2016-01-01

    Background Endocardial ablation of atrial ganglionated plexi (GP) has been described for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Our objective in this study was to develop percutaneous epicardial GP ablation in a canine model using novel energy sources and catheters. Methods Phase 1: The efficacy of several modalities to ablate the GP was tested in an open chest canine model (n=10). Phase 2: Percutaneous epicardial ablation of GP was done in 6 dogs using the most efficacious modality identified in phase 1 using 2 novel catheters. Results Phase 1: DC in varying doses [blocking (7 -12μA), electroporation (300-500μA), ablation (3000- 7500μA)], radiofrequency ablation (25–50 W), ultrasound (1.5MHz), and alcohol (2-5ml) injection were successful at 0/8, 4/12, 5/7, 3/8, 1/5 and 5/7 GP sites. DC (500–5000μA) along with alcohol irrigation was tested in phase 2. Phase 2: Percutaneous epicardial ablation of the right atrium, oblique sinus, vein of Marshall, and transverse sinus GP was successful in 5/6 dogs. One dog died of ventricular fibrillation (VF) during DC ablation at 5000 μA. Programmed stimulation induced AF in 6 dogs pre-ablation and no atrial arrhythmia in 3, flutter in 1 and AF in 1 post-ablation. Heart rate, blood pressure, effective atrial refractory period and local atrial electrogram amplitude did not change significantly post-ablation. Microscopic examination showed elimination of GP, and minimal injury to atrial myocardium. Conclusion Percutaneous epicardial ablation of GP using direct current and novel catheters is safe and feasible and may be used as an adjunct to pulmonary vein isolation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation in order to minimize additional atrial myocardial ablation. PMID:26854009

  17. Intraoperative Inducibility of Atrial Fibrillation Does Not Predict Early Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanters, Eva A H; Teuwen, Christophe P; Yaksh, Ameeta; Kik, Charles; van der Does, Lisette J M E; Mouws, Elisabeth M J P; Knops, Paul; van Groningen, Nicole J; Hokken, Thijmen; Bogers, Ad J J C; de Groot, Natasja M S

    2018-03-10

    Early postoperative atrial fibrillation (EPoAF) is associated with thromboembolic events, prolonged hospitalization, and development of late PoAF (LPoAF). It is, however, unknown if EPoAF can be predicted by intraoperative AF inducibility. The aims of this study are therefore to explore (1) the value of intraoperative inducibility of AF for development of both EPoAF and LPoAF and (2) the predictive value of de novo EPoAF for recurrence of LPoAF. Patients (N=496, 75% male) undergoing cardiothoracic surgery for coronary and/or valvular heart disease were included. AF induction was attempted by atrial pacing, before extracorporeal circulation. All patients were on continuous rhythm monitoring until discharge to detect EPoAF. During a follow-up period of 2 years, LPoAF was detected by ECGs and Holter recordings. Sustained AF was inducible in 56% of patients. There was no difference in patients with or without AF before surgery ( P =0.159), or between different types of surgery ( P =0.687). In patients without a history of AF, incidence of EPoAF and LPoAF was 37% and 2%, respectively. EPoAF recurred in 58% patients with preoperative AF, 53% developed LPoAF. There were no correlations between intraoperative inducibility and EPoAF or LPoAF ( P >0.05). EPoAF was not correlated with LPoAF in patients without a history of AF ( P =0.116), in contrast to patients with AF before surgery ( P <0.001). Intraoperative AF inducibility does not predict development of either EPoAF or LPoAF. In patients with AF before surgery, EPoAF is correlated with LPoAF recurrences. This correlation is absent in patients without AF before surgery. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  18. Validation of post-operative atrial fibrillation in the Western Denmark Heart Registry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Munkholm, Sarah Bach; Jakobsen, Carl-Johan; Mortensen, Poul Erik

    2015-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Post-operative new-onset atrial fibrillation and flutter (POAF) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality following cardiac surgery. Registers and databases are important data sources for observational studies in this research area; hence, the aim was to assess the data...... of the registry. FUNDING: none. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant....

  19. Low-Dose Aspirin in Heart Failure Not Complicated by Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madelaire, Christian; Gislason, Gunnar; Kristensen, Søren L

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: This study sought to assess safety and effectiveness of low-dose aspirin in heart failure (HF) not complicated by atrial fibrillation. BACKGROUND: Despite lack of evidence, low-dose aspirin is widely used in patients with HF and sinus rhythm with and without prior ischemic heart disease....... METHODS: The study included 12,277 patients with new-onset HF during 2007 to 2012 who had no history of atrial fibrillation. Of 5,450 patients using low-dose aspirin at baseline, 3,840 were propensity matched to non-aspirin users in a 1:1 ratio. Propensity-matched Cox models were calculated with respect...... to the primary composite outcome of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke and the secondary outcomes of bleeding and HF readmission. RESULTS: The composite outcome occurred in 1,554 (40.5%) patients in the aspirin group and 1,604 (41.8%) patients in the non-aspirin group. Aspirin use...

  20. Stroke risk associated with balloon based catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: Rationale and design of the MACPAF Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schultheiss Heinz-Peter

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Catheter ablation of the pulmonary veins has become accepted as a standard therapeutic approach for symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF. However, there is some evidence for an ablation associated (silent stroke risk, lowering the hope to limit the stroke risk by restoration of rhythm over rate control in AF. The purpose of the prospective randomized single-center study "Mesh Ablator versus Cryoballoon Pulmonary Vein Ablation of Symptomatic Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation" (MACPAF is to compare the efficacy and safety of two balloon based pulmonary vein ablation systems in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF. Methods/Design Patients are randomized 1:1 for the Arctic Front® or the HD Mesh Ablator® catheter for left atrial catheter ablation (LACA. The predefined endpoints will be assessed by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, neuro(psychological tests and a subcutaneously implanted reveal recorder for AF detection. According to statistics 108 patients will be enrolled. Discussion Findings from the MACPAF trial will help to balance the benefits and risks of LACA for symptomatic paroxysmal AF. Using serial brain MRIs might help to identify patients at risk for LACA-associated cerebral thromboembolism. Potential limitations of the study are the single-center design, the existence of a variety of LACA-catheters, the missing placebo-group and the impossibility to assess the primary endpoint in a blinded fashion. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov NCT01061931

  1. CHA2DS2-VASc score and risk of thromboembolism and bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation and recent cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    D'Souza, Maria; Carlson, Nicholas; Fosbøl, Emil

    2018-01-01

    Background Cancer may influence the risk of thromboembolism and bleeding associated with the CHA2DS2-VASc score. We examined the risk of thromboembolism and bleeding associated with the CHA2DS2-VASc score in atrial fibrillation patients with and without recent cancer. Methods and results Using...... nationwide registers all patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation from 2000 to 2015 and not on oral anticoagulation or heparin therapy were included and followed for 2 years. Recent cancer was defined by a cancer diagnosis 5 years or fewer earlier. Risks of thromboembolism and bleeding were estimated...... in cumulative incidence curves and Cox regression models. We included 122,053 patients with incident atrial fibrillation, 12,014 (10%) had recent cancer. The 2-year cumulative incidence of thromboembolism and bleeding in patients with versus without recent cancer was 1.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0...

  2. Percutenous Catheter Ablation of the Accessory Pathway in a Patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome Associated with Familial Atrial Fibrillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serkan Cay

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Percutenous catheter ablation of the accessory pathway in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a highly successful mode of therapy. Sudden cardiac arrest survivors associated with WPW syndrome should undergo radiofrequency catheter ablation. WPW syndrome associated with familial atrial fibrillation is a very rare condition. Herein, we describe a case who presented with sudden cardiac arrest secondary to WPW syndrome and familial atrial fibrillation and treated via radiofrequency catheter ablation.

  3. La fibrillation atriale, fréquence, facteurs étiologiques, évolution et traitement dans un service de cardiologie de Dakar, Sénégal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kane Abdoul

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: La fibrillation atriale est le trouble du rythme cardiaque soutenu le plus fréquent. Les objectifs de ce travail étaient d’étudier la fréquence, les facteurs étiologiques, l’évolution et le traitement de la fibrillation atriale dans un service de cardiologie de Dakar au Sénégal. METHODES: Il s’agit d’une étude rétrospective réalisée sur cinq ans et portant sur l’analyse de 150 dossiers de patients hospitalisés pour une fibrillation atriale. RESULTATS: La fréquence de la fibrillation atriale était de 5,35 % et représentait 66% des troubles du rythme cardiaque avec une prédominance féminine (sex-ratio H/F = 0,45 et un âge moyen de 57,06 ± 18,64 ans. L’origine de la fibrillation était valvulaire dans 36,7% des cas. Les complications thromboemboliques étaient plus fréquentes dans la fibrillation atriale non valvulaire (p=0,006, chez les sujets d’âge > 50 ans (p=0,01 et en cas de dilatation de l’oreillette gauche (p=0,05. Une anticoagulation par anti-vitamine K était instaurée dans 62% des cas et un traitement de contrôle de la fréquence cardiaque dans 87,33%. CONCLUSION: La fibrillation atriale est fréquente en milieu hospitalier africain et concerne des sujets relativement jeunes. L’hypertension artérielle et les valvulopathies rhumatismales sont les principaux facteurs étiologiques. Le traitement reste essentiellement médicamenteux par contrôle de la fréquence cardiaque.

  4. In-treatment reduced left atrial diameter during antihypertensive treatment is associated with reduced new-onset atrial fibrillation in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy: The LIFE Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wachtell, Kristian; Gerdts, Eva; Aurigemma, Gerard P

    2010-01-01

    It is unclear whether improvement of left atrial (LA) and ventricular (LV) structure results in reduction in new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of the present study was to examine whether changes in-treatment LA diameter were related to changes in risk of new-onset AF....

  5. The incidence and prognostic significance of new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with acute myocardial infarction and left ventricular systolic dysfunction: a CARISMA substudy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jons, Christian; Jacobsen, Uffe G; Joergensen, Rikke Moerch

    2011-01-01

    The incidence and risk associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) occurring after discharge in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) remains unknown.......The incidence and risk associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) occurring after discharge in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) remains unknown....

  6. Dofetilide: a class III anti-arrhythmic drug for the treatment of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Torp-Pedersen, C; Brendorp, B; Køber, L

    2000-01-01

    of dofetilide. After pharmacological or electrical conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm in these studies, the probability of remaining in sinus rhythm during the following year was 75%. Dofetilide has a single significant side effect: risk of developing torsade de pointes ventricular tachycardia...

  7. Familial aggregation of atrial fibrillation: a study in Danish twins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christophersen, Ingrid Elisabeth; Ravn, Lasse Steen; Budtz-Joergensen, Esben

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Heritability may play a role in nonfamilial atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that a monozygotic (MZ) twin whose co-twin was diagnosed with AF would have an increased risk of the disease compared with a dizygotic (DZ) twin in the same situation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A sample......-free survival times, we compared the time span between occurrences of disease in MZ and DZ twins. The unaffected twin was included when his or her twin-sibling (the index twin) was diagnosed with AF. After adjustment for age at entry, MZ twins had a significantly shorter event-free survival time (hazard ratio......, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.0), thereby indicating a genetic component. Using biometric models, we estimated the heritability of AF to be 62% (55% to 68%), due to additive genetics. There were no significant differences across sexes. CONCLUSIONS: All the analyses of twin similarities in the present study...

  8. Pharmacological conversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heldal, Magnus; Atar, Dan

    2013-02-01

    Recent-onset (duration ≤ 1 week) atrial fibrillation (AF) has a high rate of spontaneous conversion to sinus rhythm (SR); still anti-arrhythmic drugs (AAD) are given for conversion purposes. We assessed the effect of AADs by reviewing the literature regarding conversion rates of available drugs in a systematic manner. PubMed searches were performed using the terms "drug name", "atrial fibrillation", and "clinical study/RCT", and a list of 1302 titles was generated. These titles, including abstracts or complete papers when needed, were reviewed for recent-onset of AF, the use of a control group, and the endpoint of SR within 24 hours. Postoperative and intensive care settings were excluded. Five AADs were demonstrated to have an effect, and these were Amiodarone, Ibutilide (only one study and risk of torsade de pointes), Flecainide and Propafenone (only to be used in patients without structural heart disease) and Vernakalant. The time taken for conversion differed markedly; Vernakalant converted after 10 minutes, while Amiodarone converted only after 24 hours; Propafenone and Flecainide had conversion times in-between. For a rapid response in a broad group of patients, Vernakalant appears to be a reasonable first choice, while Flecainide and Propafenone can be used in patients without structural heart disease.

  9. Effectiveness and Safety of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Asian Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cha, Myung-Jin; Choi, Eue-Keun; Han, Kyung-Do; Lee, So-Ryoung; Lim, Woo-Hyun; Oh, Seil; Lip, Gregory Y H

    2017-11-01

    There are limited real-world data comparing the effectiveness and safety of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and warfarin in Asians with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. We aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety between NOACs and warfarin users in the Korean atrial fibrillation population, with particular focus on high-risk patients. Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, we analyzed the risk of ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) events, and all-cause death in NOAC users (n=11 611 total, n=5681 taking rivaroxaban, n=3741 taking dabigatran, and n=2189 taking apixaban) compared with propensity score-matched warfarin users (n=23 222) among patients with high-risk atrial fibrillation (CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score ≥2) between 2014 and 2015. NOAC treatment was associated with similar risk of ischemic stroke and lower risk of ICH and all-cause mortality compared with warfarin. All 3 NOACs were associated with a similar risk of ischemic stroke and a lower risk of ICH compared with warfarin. Dabigatran and apixaban were associated with a lower risk of total mortality and the composite net clinical outcome (ischemic stroke, ICH, and all-cause death) compared with warfarin, whereas this was nonsignificant for rivaroxaban. Among previously oral anticoagulant-naive patients (n=23 262), dabigatran and apixaban were superior to warfarin for ICH prevention, whereas rivaroxaban and warfarin were associated with similar risk of ICH. In real-world practice among a high-risk Asian atrial fibrillation population, all 3 NOACs demonstrated similar risk of ischemic stroke and lower risk of ICH compared with warfarin. All-cause mortality was significantly lower only with dabigatran and apixaban. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  10. Inter-subject variability in human atrial action potential in sinus rhythm versus chronic atrial fibrillation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Sánchez

    Full Text Available Human atrial electrophysiology exhibits high inter-subject variability in both sinus rhythm (SR and chronic atrial fibrillation (cAF patients. Variability is however rarely investigated in experimental and theoretical electrophysiological studies, thus hampering the understanding of its underlying causes but also its implications in explaining differences in the response to disease and treatment. In our study, we aim at investigating the ability of populations of human atrial cell models to capture the inter-subject variability in action potential (AP recorded in 363 patients both under SR and cAF conditions.Human AP recordings in atrial trabeculae (n = 469 from SR and cAF patients were used to calibrate populations of computational SR and cAF atrial AP models. Three populations of over 2000 sampled models were generated, based on three different human atrial AP models. Experimental calibration selected populations of AP models yielding AP with morphology and duration in range with experimental recordings. Populations using the three original models can mimic variability in experimental AP in both SR and cAF, with median conductance values in SR for most ionic currents deviating less than 30% from their original peak values. All cAF populations show similar variations in G(K1, G(Kur and G(to, consistent with AF-related remodeling as reported in experiments. In all SR and cAF model populations, inter-subject variability in I(K1 and I(NaK underlies variability in APD90, variability in I(Kur, I(CaL and I(NaK modulates variability in APD50 and combined variability in Ito and I(Kur determines variability in APD20. The large variability in human atrial AP triangulation is mostly determined by I(K1 and either I(NaK or I(NaCa depending on the model.Experimentally-calibrated human atrial AP models populations mimic AP variability in SR and cAF patient recordings, and identify potential ionic determinants of inter-subject variability in human atrial AP

  11. Sotalol vs metoprolol for ventricular rate control in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation who have undergone digitalization: a single-blinded crossover study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kochiadakis, G E; Kanoupakis, E M; Kalebubas, M D; Igoumenidis, N E; Vardakis, K E; Mavrakis, H E; Vardas, P E

    2001-01-01

    To compare the effects of sotalol and metoprolol on heart rate, during isotonic (ITE) and isometric (IME) exercise and daily activities, in digitalized patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. The study had a randomized, single-blinded, crossover design. Twenty-three patients with chronic atrial fibrillation received placebo for 4 weeks, followed by a 4-week period of treatment with sotalol and metoprolol in random order. At the end of each period, the patients were assessed with 24-h ECG monitoring, a cardiopulmonary exercise test and a handgrip manoeuvre. Both agents produced a lower heart rate than placebo at rest and at all levels of isotonic exercise (P digitalized patients with atrial fibrillation. Sotalol is superior to metoprolol at submaximal exercise, resulting in better rate control during daily activities.

  12. Predictors of atrial fibrillation recurrence after cryoballoon ablation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aksu T

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Tolga Aksu,1 Erkan Baysal,2 Tümer Erdem Guler,1 Sukriye Ebru Golcuk,3 İsmail Erden,1 Kazim Serhan Ozcan11Department of Cardiology, Derince Education and Research Hospital, Kocaeli, 2Department of Cardiology, Diyarbakir Education and Research Hospital, Diyarbakir, 3Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Koc University, Istanbul, TurkeyObjective: Cryoballoon ablation (CA is a safe and efficient method for pulmonary vein isolation in the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF. There are conflicting results about the predictors of AF recurrence. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of hematological indices to predict AF recurrence after CA.Methods: A total of 49 patients (mean age 58.3±12.2 years, 51.02% female with symptomatic paroxysmal AF underwent CA procedure. One hundred and sixty-eight pulmonary veins were used for pulmonary vein isolation with the second-generation cryoballoon. The hematological samples were obtained before and 24 hours after ablation.Results: At a mean follow-up of 10.2±2.4 months, the probability of being arrhythmia-free after a single procedure was 86%. Patients with AF recurrence had higher red cell distribution width levels (16.10%±1.44% vs 14.87%±0.48%, P=0.035. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein levels were detected in the patients with or without recurrence. Left atrial diameter (46.28±4.30 mm vs 41.02±4.10 mm, P=0.002, duration of AF (6.71±4.57 years vs 3.59±1.72 years, P=0.003, and age (65.01±15.39 years vs 54.29±11.32 years, P=0.033 were the other independent predictors of clinical recurrence after CA. Multiple regression analysis revealed that left atrial diameter was the only independent predictor for AF recurrence (P=0.012.Conclusion: In this study of patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing cryoablation, increased preablation red cell distribution width levels, and not C-reactive protein or erythrocyte sedimentation rate

  13. A report of acute atrial fibrillation induced by misapplication of epinephrine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Jang Su

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Urticaria is a systemic allergic reaction leading to wheal formation with skin itching. Occasionally we come across some intractable cases, in which we may administrate epinephrine infusion besides steroid and anti-histamine. A 19 year-old man suffered from intractable urticaria for 2 days, although anti-histamine and steroids were used. Titration of adrenaline was considered in the treatment of intractable urticaria. He was administrated 1 mg epinephrine intravenous bolus due to mis-dilution by the nurse. Transient atrial fibrillation with cardiac ischemia occurred. After 12.5 mg labetalol i.v., and 11-hour observation in the emergency room, he gradually recovered to normal sinus rhythm without ST-T change. In the past, ventricular tachycardia, hypertension, chest pain, pulmonary edema, the need to intubate, renal failure requiring renal transplant, coronary artery spasm, myocardial ischemia/infarction and hypokalemia have been reported after mis-diluted or excessive doses of epinephrine in treating anaphylaxis. To our knowledge, our case is the first worldwide to describe transient atrial fibrillation after epinephrine overdose, and the patient was successfully resuscitated by 12.5 mg labetalol. It is important to know how to rescue accidental epinephrine intravenous injection patients.

  14. Statins reduce new-onset atrial fibrillation in a first-time myocardial infarction population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bang, Casper N; Gislason, Gunnar H; Greve, Anders M

    2014-01-01

    AIM: To evaluate the effect of statins on reducing new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in a large real-world post-myocardial infarction (MI) population. Subsequently, to test if different statin doses, various types and compliance affected the incidence of new-onset AF post MI. METHODS: All patients...

  15. Transient postoperative atrial fibrillation after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair increases mortality risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kothari, Anai N.; Halandras, Pegge M.; Drescher, Max; Blackwell, Robert H.; Graunke, Dawn M.; Kliethermes, Stephanie; Kuo, Paul C.; Cho, Jae S.

    2016-01-01

    Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether new-onset transient postoperative atrial fibrillation (TPAF) affects mortality rates after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair and to identify predictors for the development of TPAF. Methods Patients who underwent open aortic repair or endovascular aortic repair for a principal diagnosis AAA were retrospectively identified using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-State Inpatient Database (Florida) for 2007 to 2011 and monitored longitudinally for 1 year. Inpatient and 1-year mortality rates were compared between those with and without TPAF. TPAF was defined as new-onset atrial fibrillation that developed in the postoperative period and subsequently resolved in patients without a history of atrial fibrillation. Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age, gender, comorbidities, rupture status, and repair method, were used to assess 1-year survival. Predictive models were built with preoperative patient factors using Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector decision trees and externally validated on patients from California. Results A 3.7% incidence of TPAF was identified among 15,148 patients who underwent AAA repair. The overall mortality rate was 4.3%. The inpatient mortality rate was 12.3% in patients with TPAF vs 4.0% in those without TPAF. In the ruptured setting, the difference in mortality was similar between groups (33.7% vs 39.9%, P = .3). After controlling for age, gender, comorbid disease severity, urgency (ruptured vs nonruptured), and repair method, TPAF was associated with increased 1-year postoperative mortality (hazard ratio, 1.48; P predict an individual's probability of developing TPAF at the point of care. Conclusions The development of TPAF is associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients undergoing repair of nonruptured AAA. Predictive modeling can be used to identify those patients at highest risk for developing TPAF and guide interventions to improve

  16. Rate control is more cost-effective than rhythm control for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation - results from the RAte Control versus Electrical cardioversion (RACE) study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hagens, VE; Vermeulen, KM; TenVergert, EM; Van Veldhuisen, JGP; Bosker, HA; Kamp, O; Kingma, JH; Tijssen, JGP; Crijns, HJGM; Van Gelder, IC

    Aims To evaluate costs between a rate and rhythm control strategy in persistent atrial. fibrillation. Methods and results In a prospective substudy of RACE (Rate control versus electrical cardioversion for persistent atrial. fibrillation) in 428 of the total 522 patients (206 rate control and 222

  17. Pheochromocytoma diagnosed after anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation ablation procedure: a giant in disguise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galvão Braga, Carlos; Ribeiro, Sílvia; Martins, Juliana; Arantes, Carina; Ramos, Vítor; Primo, João; Magalhães, Sónia; Correia, Adelino

    2014-04-01

    Pheochromocytoma is a rare catecholamine-producing tumor, discovered incidentally in 50% of cases. We present the case of a 44-year-old male with a history of paroxysmal palpitations. Baseline ECG, transthoracic echocardiogram and ECG stress test showed no relevant alterations. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was detected on 24-hour Holter ECG. After antiarrhythmic therapy, the patient remained symptomatic, and was accordingly referred for electrophysiological study and atrial fibrillation ablation. Anticoagulation was initiated before the procedure. After ablation and still anticoagulated, he complained of hematospermia. The abdominal and pelvic imaging study showed a 10-cm left adrenal mass, predominantly cystic, compatible with pheochromocytoma, which was confirmed after biochemical tests (increased urine metanephrines and plasma catecholamines). Metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy scanning confirmed localized disease in the adrenal gland, excluding other uptake foci. Following appropriate preoperative management, surgical resection of the giant mass was performed successfully and without complications. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  18. [Comparative analysis of phenomenology of paroxysms of atrial fibrillation and panic attacks].

    Science.gov (United States)

    San'kova, T A; Solov'eva, A D; Nedostup, A V

    2004-01-01

    To study phenomenology of attacks of atrial fibrillation (AF) and to compare it with phenomenology of panic attacks for elucidation of pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation and for elaboration of rational therapeutic intervention including those aimed at correction of psychovegetative abnormalities. Patients with nonrheumatic paroxysmal AF (n=105) and 100 patients with panic attacks (n=100). Clinical, cardiological and neurological examination, analysis of patients complaints during attacks of AF, and comparison them with diagnostic criteria for panic attack. It was found that clinical picture of attacks of AF comprised vegetative, emotional and functional neurological phenomena similar to those characteristic for panic attacks. This similarity as well as positive therapeutic effect of clonazepam allowed to propose a novel pathogenic mechanism of AF attacks. Severity of psychovegetative disorders during paroxysm of AF could be evaluated by calculation of psychovegetative iudex: Psychovegetative index should be used for detection of panic attack-like component in clinical picture of AF paroxysm and thus for determination of indications for inclusion of vegetotropic drugs, e. g. clonazepam, in complex preventive therapy.

  19. Risk scoring and thromboprophylactic treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation with and without access to primary healthcare data: experience from the Stockholm health care system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forslund, Tomas; Wettermark, Björn; Wändell, Per; von Euler, Mia; Hasselström, Jan; Hjemdahl, Paul

    2013-12-10

    Earlier validation studies of risk scoring by CHA2DS2VASc for assessments of appropriateness of warfarin treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation have been performed solely with diagnoses recorded in hospital based care, even though many patients to a large extent are managed in primary care. Cross-sectional registry study of all 43 353 patients with a diagnosis of non-valvular atrial fibrillation recorded in inpatient care, specialist ambulatory care or primary care in the Stockholm County during 2006-2010. The mean CHA2DS2VASc score was 3.82 (4.67 for women and 3.14 for men). 64% of the entire cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation had the diagnosis in primary care (12% only there). The mean CHA2DS2VASc score of patients with a diagnosis only in inpatient care or specialist ambulatory care increased from 3.63 to 3.83 when comorbidities registered in primary care were added. In 2010 warfarin prescriptions were claimed by 47.2%, and ASA by 41.6% of the entire cohort. 34% of patients with CHA2DS2VASc=1 and 20% with CHA2DS2VASc=0 had warfarin treatment. ASA was more frequently used instead of warfarin among women and elderly patients. Registry CHA2DS2VASc scores were underestimated without co-morbidity data from primary care. Many individuals with scores 0 and 1 were treated with warfarin, despite poor documentation of clinical benefit. In contrast, warfarin appears to be underused and ASA overused among high risk atrial fibrillation patients. Lack of diagnoses from primary care underestimated CHA2DS2VASc scores and may thereby have overestimated treatment benefits in low-risk patients in earlier studies. © 2013.

  20. Treatment Changes among Users of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Maja Hellfritzsch; Husted, Steen Elkjær; Grove, Erik Lerkevang

    2017-01-01

    Patients with atrial fibrillation discontinuing anticoagulant therapy are left unprotected against ischaemic stroke. Further, switching between oral anticoagulants may be associated with a transiently increased risk of bleeding or thromboembolism. However, there is a paucity of real-life data on ...

  1. Investigation of atrial vulnerability by analysis of the sinus node EG from atrial fibrillation models using a phase synchronization method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ying; Wu, Zhong; Yang, Cuiwei; Shao, Jun; Wong, Kelvin Kian Loong; Abbott, Derek

    2012-09-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) can result in life-threatening arrhythmia, and a clinically convenient means for detecting vulnerability remains elusive. We investigated atrial vulnerability by analyzing the sinus electrogram (EG) from AF animal models using a phase synchronization method. Using acetylcholine (ACh)-induced acute canine AF models (n= 4), a total of 128 electrical leads were attached to the surface of the anterior and posterior atria, and the pulmonary veins to form an electrocardiological mapping system. ACh was injected at varying concentrations with ladder-type adjustments. Sinus EGs and induced AF EGs that pertain to specific ACh concentrations were recorded.We hypothesize that the atrial vulnerability may be correlated with the Shannon entropy (SE) of the phase difference matrix that is extracted from the sinus EG. Our research suggests that the combination of SE with the synchronization method enables the sinus node EG to be analyzed and used to estimate atrial vulnerability.

  2. Percutaneous Occlusion of the Left Atrial Appendage with the Watchman Device in an Active Duty Sailor with Atrial Fibrillation and Recurrent Thromboembolism Despite Appropriate Use of Oral Anticoagulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, Justin M; Choi, Anthony J; Oakley, Luke S; Francisco, Gregory M; Nayak, Keshav R

    2018-05-23

    Atrial fibrillation is the most common significant cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with a five-fold increased risk of stroke from thromboembolism. Over 94% of these emboli arise from the left atrial appendage. Systemic embolic phenomena are rare, accounting for less than 1 out of 10 of all embolic events, but have a similar prevention strategy. Anticoagulation significantly reduces the risk of these events, and thus forms the cornerstone of therapy for most patients with atrial fibrillation. Left atrial appendage occlusion with the Watchman device is a recently approved alternative for stroke prevention in selected patients. We present a case of an active duty U.S. Navy sailor at low risk for thromboembolism who nonetheless suffered recurrent thromboembolic events despite appropriate anticoagulation, and thus underwent Watchman implantation. The therapy in this case will ideally provide a lifetime of protection from recurrent systemic embolization while allowing the patient to continue his active duty military career without restriction due to oral anticoagulation.

  3. Role of PR-Interval In Predicting the Occurrence of Atrial Fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bidstrup, Signe Brøker; Salling Olesen, Morten; Hastrup Svendsen, Jesper

    2013-01-01

    The identification of individuals at high risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) is important to prevent potentially lethal and invalidating complications of this arrhythmia. Recently, several studies have investigated the association between PR-interval and the risk of AF and have tested...... the value of PR-interval in personalized risk scores for AF. However, the results of these studies are generally conflicting. When looking for an association between a prolonged PR-interval (first-degree atrioventricular [AV] block vs. normal PR-interval) and an increased risk of AF, not all studies were...... able to find a consistent and statistically significant association. In two recent studies, however, the investigators were able to show an increased risk of AF for individuals with PR-intervals in the short range compared with individuals in the middle range. The existence of a true U...

  4. Clinical impact of rotor ablation in atrial fibrillation: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parameswaran, Ramanathan; Voskoboinik, Aleksandr; Gorelik, Alexandra; Lee, Geoffrey; Kistler, Peter M; Sanders, Prashanthan; Kalman, Jonathan M

    2018-01-11

    Rotor mapping and ablation have gained favour over the recent years as an emerging ablation strategy targeting drivers of atrial fibrillation (AF). Their efficacy, however, has been a topic of great debate with variable outcomes across centres. The aim of this study was to systematically review the recent medical literature to determine the medium-term outcomes of rotor ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) and persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF). A systematic search of the contemporary scientific literature (PubMed and EMBASE) was performed in August 2017. Only studies assessing arrhythmia-free survival from rotor ablation of AF were included. We used the random-effects model to assess the primary outcome of pooled medium-term single-procedure AF-free survival for both PAF and PeAF. Success rates from multiple procedures and complication rates were also examined. We included 11 observational studies (4 PAF and 10 PeAF) with a total of 556 patients (166 PAF and 390 PeAF). Pooled single-procedure freedom from AF was 37.8% [95% confidence interval 5.6-86.3%] at a mean follow-up period of 13.8 ± 1.8 months for PAF and 59.2% (95% CI 41.4-74.9%) at a mean follow-up period of 12.9 ± 6 months for PeAF. There was a marked heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 93.8% for PAF and 88.3% for PeAF). The mean complication rate of rotor ablation among the reported studies was 3.4%. The wide variability in success rate between different centres performing rotor ablations suggests that the optimal ablation strategy, particularly targeting rotors, is unclear. Results from randomized studies are necessary before this technique can be considered as an established clinical tool. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2018. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Use of oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation and renal dysfunction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Potpara, Tatjana S; Ferro, Charles J; Lip, Gregory Y H

    2018-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are increasingly prevalent in the general population and share common risk factors such as older age, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The presence of CKD increases the risk of incident AF, and, likewise, AF increases the risk of CKD de......, where appropriate, use of warfarin with good-quality anticoagulation control....

  6. Nitrated fatty acids suppress angiotensin II-mediated fibrotic remodelling and atrial fibrillation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rudolph, T.K.; Ravekes, T.; Klinke, A.; Friedrichs, K.; Mollenhauer, M.; Pekarová, Michaela; Ambrožová, Gabriela; Martíšková, Hana; Kaur, J.J.; Matthes, B.; Schwoerer, A.; Woodcock, S.R.; Kubala, Lukáš; Freeman, B.A.; Baldus, S.; Rudolph, V.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 109, č. 1 (2016), s. 174-184 ISSN 0008-6363 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GP13-40824P; GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0030 Grant - others:GAAV(CZ) M200041208 Institutional support: RVO:68081707 Keywords : Atrial fibrillation * Fibrosis * Nitro-fatty acids Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 5.878, year: 2016

  7. Antiplatelet Therapy for Stable Coronary Artery Disease in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Taking an Oral Anticoagulant A Nationwide Cohort Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lamberts, M.; Gislason, G. H.; Lip, G. Y. H.

    2014-01-01

    therapy to vitamin K antagonist (VKA) in atrial fibrillation patents with stable coronary artery disease. Methods and Results Atrial fibrillation patients with stable coronary artery disease (defined as 12 months from an acute coronary event) between 2002 and 2011 were identified. The subsequent risk...... of cardiovascular events and serious bleeding events (those that required hospitalization) was examined with adjusted Cox regression models according to ongoing antithrombotic therapy. A total of 8700 patients were included (mean age, 74.2 years; 38% women). During a mean follow-up of 3.3 years, crude incidence...

  8. Atrial fibrillation in heart failure is associated with an increased risk of death only in patients with ischaemic heart disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raunsø, Jakob; Pedersen, Ole Dyg; Dominguez, Helena

    2010-01-01

    The prognostic importance of atrial fibrillation (AF) in heart failure (HF) populations is controversial and may depend on patient selection. In the present study, we investigated the prognostic impact of AF in a large population with HF of various aetiologies.......The prognostic importance of atrial fibrillation (AF) in heart failure (HF) populations is controversial and may depend on patient selection. In the present study, we investigated the prognostic impact of AF in a large population with HF of various aetiologies....

  9. Trends in hospitalization for atrial fibrillation: epidemiology, cost, and implications for the future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheikh, Azfar; Patel, Nileshkumar J; Nalluri, Nikhil; Agnihotri, Kanishk; Spagnola, Jonathan; Patel, Aashay; Asti, Deepak; Kanotra, Ritesh; Khan, Hafiz; Savani, Chirag; Arora, Shilpkumar; Patel, Nilay; Thakkar, Badal; Patel, Neil; Pau, Dhaval; Badheka, Apurva O; Deshmukh, Abhishek; Kowalski, Marcin; Viles-Gonzalez, Juan; Paydak, Hakan

    2015-01-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent arrhythmia worldwide and the most common arrhythmia leading to hospitalization. Due to a substantial increase in incidence and prevalence of AF over the past few decades, it attributes to an extensive economic and public health burden. The increasing number of hospitalizations, aging population, anticoagulation management, and increasing trend for disposition to a skilled facility are drivers of the increasing cost associated with AF. There has been significant progress in AF management with the release of new oral anticoagulants, use of left atrial catheter ablation, and novel techniques for left atrial appendage closure. In this article, we aim to review the trends in epidemiology, hospitalization, and cost of AF along with its future implications on public health. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Cost-effectiveness analysis of left atrial appendage occlusion compared with pharmacological strategies for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Vivian Wing-Yan; Tsai, Ronald Bing-Ching; Chow, Ines Hang-Iao; Yan, Bryan Ping-Yen; Kaya, Mehmet Gungor; Park, Jai-Wun; Lam, Yat-Yin

    2016-08-31

    Transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is a promising therapy for stroke prophylaxis in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) but its cost-effectiveness remains understudied. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of LAAO for stroke prophylaxis in NVAF. A Markov decision analytic model was used to compare the cost-effectiveness of LAAO with 7 pharmacological strategies: aspirin alone, clopidogrel plus aspirin, warfarin, dabigatran 110 mg, dabigatran 150 mg, apixaban, and rivaroxaban. Outcome measures included quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), lifetime costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Base-case data were derived from ACTIVE, RE-LY, ARISTOTLE, ROCKET-AF, PROTECT-AF and PREVAIL trials. One-way sensitivity analysis varied by CHADS2 score, HAS-BLED score, time horizons, and LAAO costs; and probabilistic sensitivity analysis using 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations was conducted to assess parameter uncertainty. LAAO was considered cost-effective compared with aspirin, clopidogrel plus aspirin, and warfarin, with ICER of US$5,115, $2,447, and $6,298 per QALY gained, respectively. LAAO was dominant (i.e. less costly but more effective) compared to other strategies. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated favorable ICERs of LAAO against other strategies in varied CHADS2 score, HAS-BLED score, time horizons (5 to 15 years) and LAAO costs. LAAO was cost-effective in 86.24 % of 10,000 simulations using a threshold of US$50,000/QALY. Transcatheter LAAO is cost-effective for prevention of stroke in NVAF compared with 7 pharmacological strategies. The transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is considered cost-effective against the standard 7 oral pharmacological strategies including acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) alone, clopidogrel plus ASA, warfarin, dabigatran 110 mg, dabigatran 150 mg, apixaban, and rivaroxaban for stroke prophylaxis in non-valvular atrial fibrillation management.

  11. Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Prescribing Patterns for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Erin A; Ackman, Margaret L; Graham, Michelle M; Koshman, Sheri L; Boswell, Rosaleen M; Barry, Arden R

    2016-01-01

    Current guidelines recommend triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT), defined as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), clopidogrel, and warfarin, for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation. The choice of anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy in this population is ambiguous and complex, and prescribing patterns are not well documented. To characterize local prescribing patterns for anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. A chart review was conducted at a single quaternary cardiology centre. Patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were identified via medical records, and those who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention were identified using a local clinical patient registry. Adult inpatients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and a CHADS2 score (based on congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes mellitus, prior stroke) of 1 or higher who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention from 2011 to 2013 were included. Patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery or transcatheter aortic valve replacement, those with mechanical devices requiring anticoagulation, and those with an allergy to any component of TAT were excluded. Seventy patients were included. The median age was 75 years, and 52 (74%) were men. At discharge, 30 (43%) were receiving TAT and 27 (39%) were receiving dual antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel and ASA). No patients received the combination of warfarin and clopidogrel. Among those who received TAT, 90% (19 of 21) who received a bare metal stent had a recommended duration of 1 month, and 75% (6 of 8) who received a drug-eluting stent had a recommended duration of 1 year. Direct-acting oral anticoagulants with 2 antiplatelet drugs were prescribed for 9% (6 of 70) of the patients, and 10% (7 of 70) received ticagrelor and ASA with or without warfarin. Overall, the

  12. Slow ventricular response atrial fibrillation related to mad honey poisoning

    OpenAIRE

    Osken, A.; Yaylacı, S.; Aydın, E.; Kocayigit, İ; Cakar, M.A.; Tamer, A.; Gündüz, H.

    2012-01-01

    Mad honey poisoning which is induced by Grayanotoxin (Andromedotoxin), is also known to have adverse effects in the cardiovascular system leading to different clinical entities. This toxin is produced by a member of the Rhododendron genus of plants of two R. Luteum and R. Panticum. In this article, we presented a case of slow ventricular response atrial fibrillation complaints with nausea, vomiting, dizziness and chest pain about an hour after eating honey produced in the Black Sea Region.

  13. Second Chance for a Totally Thoracoscopic Video-Assisted Pulmonary Vein Isolation for Atrial Fibrillation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Driessen, Antoine H. G.; Krul, Sébastien P. J.; de Mol, Bas A. J. M.; de Groot, Joris R.

    2012-01-01

    Thoracoscopic surgery for atrial fibrillation (AF) is an attractive and emerging treatment modality. However, when a bleeding occurs access for hemostasis is limited. Therefore, a sternotomy might be necessary to stop the bleeding and continue the operation. We report 2 patients with a

  14. Antiarrhythmic and electrophysiologic effects of flecainide on acutely induced atrial fibrillation in healthy horses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haugaard, Maria Mathilde; Pehrson, S.; Carstensen, Helena

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Only few pharmacologic compounds have been validated for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in horses. Studies investigating the utility and safety of flecainide to treat AF in horses have produced conflicting results, and the antiarrhythmic mechanisms of flecainide are not fully u...

  15. Atrial Fibrillation Following Surgical Management of Ischemic Heart Disease; One Year, Single Center, Single Surgeon Results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmet Barış Durukan

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Postoperative atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia following bypasssurgery with significant morbidity, mortality and increased healthcare costs. The aim of this studyis to determine the incidence and timing of atrial fibrillation, identify the risk factors coveringpreoperative and intraoperative periods, evaluate rate of return to sinus rhythm by disharge, andexplore the impact on postoperative outcomes in a large group of patients operated in a singlecenter by a single surgeon.Patients and Methods: Between January 2011 and January 2012, 418 patients on preoperativesinus rhythm were operated for ischemic heart disease and associated complications (left ventricleaneurysm repair and ischemic mitral insufficiency in a single center, by a single surgeon.The preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative variables were studied.Results: The mean age of the patients were 61.92 ± 10.05, and 77.5% were male. Atrial fibrillationdeveloped in 68 (16.3% patients. The incidence peaked at second day. Patients with atrialfibrillation were older (p< 0.001. Gender, preoperative comorbidities, ejection fraction, left atrialdiameter, preoperative beta-blocker use, leukocyte count, type of operation and intraoperativevariables did not affect its occurence. Intensive care unit and hospital length of stay were longer(p< 0.05. 95.5% (n= 65 of patients were in normal sinus rhythm at discharge.Conclusion: Postoperative atrial fibrillation is a popular subject with unknowns and controversialresults which may lead to wrong interpretations. We believe that every center has its own risk factors related with the population of that region. Discussion will last, but simple precautions and close monitoring will help to minimizeadverse outcomes.

  16. Thyrotoxic Atrial Fibrillation: Factors Associated with Persistence and Risk of Ischemic Stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheuk-Lik Wong

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Atrial fibrillation (AF is one of the commonest cardiovascular manifestations of thyrotoxicosis. A significant proportion of patients have persistent AF which may have long term consequences, for example, ischemic stroke. Methods. We performed a retrospective cohort study in a regional hospital from January 2004 to June 2016 to examine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of thyrotoxic patients who presented with atrial fibrillation and to investigate possible factors associated with persistent atrial fibrillation and ischemic stoke. Results. Among 1918 patients who had a diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis, 133 (6.9% patients presented with AF. Spontaneous sinus conversion occurred in 89 (66.9% patients in which 85 (94% patients developed sinus conversion before or within 6 months after having achieved euthyroidism. The remaining 44 (33.1% had persistent AF. The rate of ischemic stroke was numerically higher among patients who had persistent AF than those with spontaneous sinus conversion (15.9% versus 10.1%; log-rank 0.442, p=0.506. Patients who sustained an ischemic stroke were older (71 ± 11 years versus 62 ± 16 years, p=0.023 and had a trend towards higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (2.9 ± 1.7 versus 2.3 ± 1.7, p=0.153. History of smoking (adjusted odds ratio 4.9, 95% CI [1.8,14.0], p=0.002, a larger left atrial diameter (adjusted odd ratio 2.6, 95% CI [1.2,5.5], p=0.014, and a relatively lower free thyroxine level at diagnosis (adjusted odd ratio 2.1, 95% CI [1.2,3.5], p=0.008 were associated with persistence of AF on multivariate analysis. Conclusion. Persistence of thyrotoxic AF occurred in one-third of patients and spontaneous sinus conversion was unlikely after six months of euthyroidism. High rate of ischemic stroke was observed among patients with persistent thyrotoxic AF and older age. Patients with factors associated with persistent AF, especially older people, should be closely monitored beyond 6 months so that

  17. Temporal changes in patient characteristics and prior pharmacotherapy in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karasoy, Deniz; Gislason, Gunnar Hilmar; Hansen, Jim

    2013-01-01

    Trends in patient selection and pharmacotherapy before radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation are not well studied. We examined temporal trends in RFA utilization on a nationwide scale in Denmark....

  18. Inhibition of potassium currents is involved in antiarrhythmic effect of moderate ethanol on atrial fibrillation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Baode; Li, Chenxing [Department of Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Sun, Junyi [Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Department of Periodontology, College of Stomatology, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Wang, Xinghui; Liu, Xinling [Basic Medical Experiment Teaching Center, Health Science Center, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Yang, Chun [Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Chen, Lina; Zhou, Jun [Department of Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Ministry of Education of China, Xi' an (China); Hu, Hao, E-mail: huhao@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Department of Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an (China); Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Ministry of Education of China, Xi' an (China)

    2017-05-01

    Excessive consumption of alcohol is a well-established risk factor of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the effects of moderate alcohol drinking remain to be elucidated. This study was designed to determine the effects of moderate ethanol ingestion on atrial fibrillation and the electrophysiological mechanisms. In acetylcholine-induced canine and mouse AF models, the moderate ethanol prevented the generation and persistence of AF through prolonging the latent period of AF and shortening the duration of AF. The action potential duration (APD) was remarkably prolonged under the concentration range of 12.5–50.0 mM ethanol in guinea pig atrial myocytes. Ultra-rapid delayed rectified potassium currents (I{sub Kv1.5}) were markedly inhibited by 12.5–50.0 mM ethanol in a concentration-dependent manner. Ethanol with 50.0 mM could inhibit rapid delayed rectifier potassium currents (I{sub hERG}). Ethanol under 6.25–50.0 mM did not affect on inward rectifier potassium currents (I{sub Kir2.1}). Collectively, the present study provided an evidence that moderate ethanol intake can prolong the APD of atrial myocytes by inhibition of I{sub Kv1.5} and I{sub hERG}, which contributed to preventing the development and duration of AF. - Highlights: • Moderate ethanol prevented the development of AF in animal models. • Moderate ethanol prolonged APD in guinea pig atrial myocytes. • Moderate ethanol inhibited Kv1.5 currents.

  19. Inhibition of potassium currents is involved in antiarrhythmic effect of moderate ethanol on atrial fibrillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Baode; Li, Chenxing; Sun, Junyi; Wang, Xinghui; Liu, Xinling; Yang, Chun; Chen, Lina; Zhou, Jun; Hu, Hao

    2017-01-01

    Excessive consumption of alcohol is a well-established risk factor of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the effects of moderate alcohol drinking remain to be elucidated. This study was designed to determine the effects of moderate ethanol ingestion on atrial fibrillation and the electrophysiological mechanisms. In acetylcholine-induced canine and mouse AF models, the moderate ethanol prevented the generation and persistence of AF through prolonging the latent period of AF and shortening the duration of AF. The action potential duration (APD) was remarkably prolonged under the concentration range of 12.5–50.0 mM ethanol in guinea pig atrial myocytes. Ultra-rapid delayed rectified potassium currents (I Kv1.5 ) were markedly inhibited by 12.5–50.0 mM ethanol in a concentration-dependent manner. Ethanol with 50.0 mM could inhibit rapid delayed rectifier potassium currents (I hERG ). Ethanol under 6.25–50.0 mM did not affect on inward rectifier potassium currents (I Kir2.1 ). Collectively, the present study provided an evidence that moderate ethanol intake can prolong the APD of atrial myocytes by inhibition of I Kv1.5 and I hERG , which contributed to preventing the development and duration of AF. - Highlights: • Moderate ethanol prevented the development of AF in animal models. • Moderate ethanol prolonged APD in guinea pig atrial myocytes. • Moderate ethanol inhibited Kv1.5 currents.

  20. Real-Time Rotational Activity Detection in Atrial Fibrillation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ríos-Muñoz, Gonzalo R.; Arenal, Ángel; Artés-Rodríguez, Antonio

    2018-01-01

    Rotational activations, or spiral waves, are one of the proposed mechanisms for atrial fibrillation (AF) maintenance. We present a system for assessing the presence of rotational activity from intracardiac electrograms (EGMs). Our system is able to operate in real-time with multi-electrode catheters of different topologies in contact with the atrial wall, and it is based on new local activation time (LAT) estimation and rotational activity detection methods. The EGM LAT estimation method is based on the identification of the highest sustained negative slope of unipolar signals. The method is implemented as a linear filter whose output is interpolated on a regular grid to match any catheter topology. Its operation is illustrated on selected signals and compared to the classical Hilbert-Transform-based phase analysis. After the estimation of the LAT on the regular grid, the detection of rotational activity in the atrium is done by a novel method based on the optical flow of the wavefront dynamics, and a rotation pattern match. The methods have been validated using in silico and real AF signals. PMID:29593566