BACKGROUND It recently has been demonstrated that during atrial fibrillation, a short and variable excitable gap exists, allowing regional control of atrial fibrillation by local stimulation. In the present study, we visualized the process of excitation during regional entrainment of atrial fibrillation by rapid pacing. METHODS AND RESULTS In six open-chest dogs, the excitation of the left at...

INTRODUCTION The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of repeated cardioversion with an implantable atrial defibrillator on the clinical outcome of patients with atrial fibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS The effects of the implantable atrial defibrillator on the total duration of atrial fibrillation, number of atrial fibrillation recurrences, and left atrial size were evaluated pros...

BACKGROUND Recent community-based research has linked aortic stiffness to the development of atrial fibrillation. We posit that aortic stiffness contributes to adverse atrial remodeling leading to the persistence of atrial fibrillation following catheter ablation in lone atrial fibrillation patients, despite the absence of apparent structural heart disease. Here, we aim to evaluate aortic stiff...

BACKGROUND Left atrial appendage obliteration was historically ineffective for the prevention of postoperative stroke in patients with rheumatic atrial fibrillation who underwent operative mitral valvotomy. It is, however, a routine part of modern "curative" operations for nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation, such as the maze and corridor procedures. METHODS To assess the potential of left atria...

right atrial dilation due to left heart disease is a common complication among adults. the present review aimed to describe a case of massively dilated right atrium in a female patient presenting with valvular heart disease and no atrial fibrillation. the results of chest x-ray revealed a large opacity filling the lower right hemithorax, falsely interpreted as a mediastinal mass. during the tra...

OBJECTIVE To determine the association of new-onset atrial fibrillation with outcomes, including ICU length of stay and survival. DESIGN Retrospective cohort of ICU admissions. We found atrial fibrillation using automated detection (≥ 90 s in 30 min) and classed as new-onset if there was no prior diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. We identified determinants of new-onset atrial fibrillation and...

The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in the genesis of various cardiac rhythm disorders. Experimental studies have indicated that in atrial fibrillation particularly vagal activity may have a decisive influence on the electrophysiologic properties of atrial myocardium. In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, a carefully taken history and electrocardiographic findings ob...

Background In patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), atrial fibrillation (AF) or flutter remains the most common disease complication and arrhythmia in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), occurring in up to 25% of the patients, which is 4-fold more common than the general population. Occurrence of AF in HCM, not only will lead to its notorious complications of ischemic st...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a high prevalence of AF, and uremic toxins are an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases associated with CKD. Uremic toxins can produce pro-fibrotic, pro-hypertrophic, and pro-inflammatory effects on cardiac tissues and enhance oxidative stress or neurohormonal phenomena of...

OBJECTIVES To estimate incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients of rheumatic heart disease, to study clinical correlation of atrial fibrillation in term of mitral valve area in mitral stenosis, to estimate incidence of systemic embolization and to find out association of atrial fibrillation with recurrent respiratory infections. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ninty-four cases were assigned with dif...