The structure of atrial natriurtic peptide (ANP) and Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are similar and they are also similar in their actions e.g natriuresis and vasodilation. The previous studies have revealed the presence of ANP and BNP in sheep atrial extract, wherease ANP in human atrial. The aim of the present study is to investigate the comparison of hemodynamic effects of these two atrial ...

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 pa...

Objective: To evaluate the acute effects of atrial pacing at different pacing sites on mechanical stunning after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF). Setting: Tertiary referral centre. Patients: 20 patients with persistent AF were studied. Interventions: Spontaneous echo contrast (SEC), left atrial appendage emptying velocity (LAAEV), and left atrial appendage emptying fraction (LAAEF) we...

Rapid regular atrial pacing (RAP) produces changes in atrial function similar to those caused by atrial fibrillation in animal models. Left atrial appendage (LAA) function represents regional atrial function. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of RAP on left atrial regional function and to evaluate the reversibility of changes after termination of pacing in a canine model. Ei...

PURPOSE To implement a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-based protocol to define atrial structure and function in individuals with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), heritable cardiac conduction and myocardial disease with atrial dysrhtyhmias (HCCMD), and healthy controls. METHODS Fifteen controls, 20 PAF, and 12 HCCMD subjects underwent CMR examination including: multislice short-axis cin...

AIM The aim of this prospective study was to assess the presence of sinus rhythm and atrial transport function after surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation using cryoenergy, and to evaluate predictors of the success of the procedure. METHODS Between January 2005 and September 2006, 100 consecutive patients underwent left atrial cryoablation as a concomitant surgical procedure (46 patients w...

The atrial appendages contain most of the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in the mammalian heart, and atrial appendage mechanical function predicts ANF secretion during volume loading. To demonstrate the crucial role of the atrial appendages in ANF release, we first measured hemodynamics and changes in plasma ANF after injection of 1,000 ml i.v. normal saline in conscious dogs and again after b...

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 tog...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether echocardiographic markers thromboembolic risk differ between patients with pure atrial flutter and patients with atrial flutter and intermittent atrial fibrillation. DESIGN Patients with atrial flutter were followed up prospectively for 12 months to identify intermittent atrial fibrillation. After the follow up period, transthoracic and multiplane transoesophage...