Abstract Aims Recent clinical studies showed that antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) treatment and pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) synergistically reduce atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrences after initially successful ablation. Among newly developed atrial-selective AADs, inhibitors of the G-protein-gated acetylcholine-activated inward rectifier current (IKACh) were shown to effectively suppress AF in an...

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...

Obesity is a well-known risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. Recent clinical data showed that overweight and obese patients have higher incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with individuals with normal body weights, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of a high fat diet on atrial activities in mice. ICR male mic...

Brugada syndrome is characterized by right bundle branch block pattern with ST-segment elevation in leads V(1) to V(3) and a propensity for sudden cardiac death due to ventricular arrhythmias. The arrhythmogenic substrate in Brugada syndrome may not be restricted to the ventricles, and atrial arrhythmias are being increasingly reported. Incidences of spontaneous atrial arrhythmias vary from 6% ...

Accurate delineation of the variable left atrial anatomy is of utmost importance during anatomically based ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation targeting the pulmonary veins and possibly other structures of the atria. Intracardiac echocardiography allows real-time visualisation of the left atrium and adjacent structures and thus facilitates precise guidance of catheter-based ablation of ...

OBJECTIVES In cirrhotic patients, despite presence of significant metabolic abnormalities and enlarged left atria, we have seldom observed atrial fibrillation (AF) rhythm. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of AF among cirrhotic patients and comparing it with that reported in the general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS Medical documents of 1302 adult cirrhotic patients, bo...

Electrophysiological simulations of the atria could improve diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, like atrial fibrillation or flutter. For this purpose, a precise segmentation of both atria is needed. However, the atrial epicardium and the electrophysiological structures needed for electrophysiological simulations are barely or not at all detectable in CT-images. Therefore, a model bas...

Atrial fibrillation, a common cardiac arrhythmia, is promoted by atrial dilatation. Acute atrial dilatation may play a role in atrial arrhythmogenesis through mechanoelectric feedback. In experimental studies, conduction slowing and block have been observed in acutely dilated atria. In the present study, the influence of the stretch-activated current (I(sac)) on impulse propagation is investiga...

OBJECTIVE Develop and evaluate a model of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and severe congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS A single-chamber atrial pacemaker was implanted in pigs (20-30 kg). Burst atrial pacing at 42 Hz led to development of persistent AF. Immediately and 20 days after activation of the burst pacing protocol, animals underwent echocardiography. Heart rate, rhythm and ge...