Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia and accounts for one-third of hospitalizations for rhythm disorders in the United States. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation averages 1% and increases with age. With the aging of the population, the number of patients with atrial fibrillation is expected to increase 150% by 2050, with more than 50% of atrial fibrillation patients being over t...

Atrial fibrillation may remain undiagnosed until an ischemic stroke occurs. In this retrospective cohort study we assessed the prevalence of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack as the first manifestation of atrial fibrillation in 3,623 patients treated for their first ever stroke or transient ischemic attack during 2003-2012. Two groups were formed: patients with a history of atrial fi...

OBJECTIVE The impact of pre-existing atrial fibrillation on the long-term outcome in patients after off-pump coronary revascularisation is not well known. This study aims to determine the independent effects of preoperative atrial fibrillation on the early and late outcomes of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. METHODS A total of 513 patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass s...

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) lead dislodgement into the right atrium is a dangerous situation, particularly in patients in atrial fibrillation because atrial fibrillation can be sensed as ventricular fibrillation and true ventricular fibrillation induced with an inappropriate shock. In the presence of shocks, ICD interrogation should be performed as soon as possible.

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 clinica...

Hypertension is known to increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. It has a role to play in atrial fibrosis and remodeling which tends to propagate further atrial fibrillation. Current anti arrhythmic therapy is unsatisfactory due to its toxicity. Management of hypertension offers an attractive target for improving therapy of atrial fibrillation. We examine the current evidence for anti hyperte...

BACKGROUND Post-operative atrial fibrillation is an important complication after coronary bypass surgery. As inflammation and oxidative stress were makedly encountered in the etiology, high cholesterol was also defined to provoke atrial fibrillation. In this present study, the relationship between postoperative atrial fibrillation and preoperative serum lipid levels were evaluated. METHODS A ...

OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine the mechanisms of idiopathic atrial fibrillation and the atrial antifibrillatory action of flecainide in dogs. BACKGROUND In a small subset of dogs, sustained atrial fibrillation can be readily induced in the absence of vagal tone. The electrophysiologic mechanisms underlying this ability to sustain atrial fibrillation, and of flecainide action on the...

Atrial fibrillation, a chronic and highly morbid cardiovascular condition which affects over 33 million people worldwide, can be broadly categorized as valvular vs non-valvular in etiology. However, definitions of valvular atrial fibrillation have varied widely in the literature, and there is no clear consensus definition to date. Historically, patients with atrial fibrillation in the setting o...

induced with rapid atrial pacing, which subsequently degenerated to ventricular fibrillation. During the same procedure the accessory pathway was successfully ablated and the boy could resume his intensive sporting activity. This case illustrates a possible high risk condition, but what is the chance of clinical occurrence of this arrhythmia and could this arrhythmia endanger the life of this y...