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...

et al. Prediction of cardiovascular outcomes with left atrial size: is volume superior to area or diameter? et al. Enlarged left atrial volume in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a marker for disease severity. Impairment of left atrial function predicts post-operative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Strain rate imaging for noninvasive functional quantification of the...

Atrial fibrillation is a common, clinically significant arrhythmic disorder that results in increased risk of morbidity and mortality in affected patients. Atrial fibrillation is more prevalent among men compared with women and the risk for developing atrial fibrillation increases with advancing age. Ischaemic stroke is the most common clinical manifestation of embolic events from atrial fibril...

INTRODUCTION Patients referred for percutaneous transcatheter mitral valve repair using the MitraClip® system frequently have atrial fibrillation, which imposes additional challenges due to the need for oral anticoagulation. Left atrial appendage occlusion is currently regarded as a non-inferior alternative to anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and both high throm...

Introduction: Rheumatic heart disease still remains a common health problem and an important cause of morbidity and mortality in all age group. Mitral stenosis is the most common cardiac valve lesion involved in rheumatic heart disease. This can cause serious complications if left untreated and can lead to enlargement of the left atrium and stasis of blood which increases risk of clot formation...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Hypertension is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation. Activation of the renin-angiotensin-system seems to be involved in atrial enlargement, with release of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ambulatory blood pressure and levels of natriuretic peptides, with left atrial size in normotensives with idi...

BACKGROUND In five chronically instrumented conscious dogs, we studied the effects of rapid pacing on sustained electrically induced atrial fibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS Twenty-three unipolar atrial electrograms were recorded simultaneously from the bundle of Bachmann and the lateral wall of the right and left atria. During sustained atrial fibrillation, the surface electrocardiogram show...

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...

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmias, and a major cause of morbidity and mortality due to cardioembolic stroke. The left atrial appendage is the major site of thrombus formation in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Loss of atrial systole in atrial fibrillation and increased relative risk of associated stroke point strongly toward a role for stasis of blood in left atrial t...

The management of atrial fibrillation, even in the modern era, remains complex and challenging. Preventing atrial fibrillation occurrence by identifying and favorably improving modifiable risk factors thus assumes great importance. It is well known that hypertension and resultant structural heart disease contributes significantly to the incidence of atrial fibrillation.1,2 The Losartan Interven...