OBJECTIVE To compare rate control and rhythm control strategies in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) after percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMV). METHODS 183 patients with AF after successful PMV, with AF duration <or= 12 months and post-PMV left atrial (LA) size <or= 45 mm, were studied in a prospective, randomised trial. The primary end point was improvement in AF-related symptom...

we are presenting a case illustrating atrial fibrillation (af) following the use of methylprednisolone in a patient with pelvic and femur fracture. a 48- year- old man with no significant past medical history, was admitted to the emergency department after injury in a car accident. he suffered a multiple bone fracture with chief complaints of pain and shortness of breath. he was transferred to ...

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (AF) can be managed with rhythm- or rate-control strategies. There are few data from routine clinical practice on the frequency with which each strategy is used and their correlates in terms of patients' clinical characteristics, AF control, and symptom burden. METHODS RealiseAF was an international, cross-sectional, observational survey of 11,198 patients with ...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustainedcardiac rhythm disturbance encountered by physicians. The management of AF isfocused on control of heart rate, correction of rhythm disturbance, andrisk-determined prophylaxis of thromboembolism. The goals of AF therapy are, aswith other serious disorders, to reduce mortality (if possible) and morbidity(improve quality of life, [QOL]). To thi...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a difficult management problem. The restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm-rhythm control therapy-can markedly improve symptoms and haemodynamics for patients who have paroxysmal or persistent AF, but some patients fare well with rate control alone. Sinus rhythm can be achieved with anti-arrhythmic drugs or electrical cardioversion, but the maintenance of s...

Background—In a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the long-term effects of amiodarone on morbidity and mortality in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) were evaluated during a 4-year period. Methods and Results—Of 667 patients with CHF, 103 (15%) had AF at baseline. Of these, 51 were randomized to amiodarone and 52 to placebo. The group w...

BACKGROUND Studies in animal hearts have shown shortening of the atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and loss of the relation between the AERP and heart rate after prolonged periods of atrial fibrillation (AF). The purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate atrial electrophysiology after a long period of sinus rhythm in patients who had longer lasting recurrent AF that was successfully t...

INTRODUCTION Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and leads to a five-fold increased risk of stroke compared to persons with sinus rhythm. A soluble form of thrombomodulin (sTM) is a recognized marker of endothelial dysfunction and may contribute to the hypercoagulable state in AF. The aim of the study was to evaluate plasma concentration of sTM in persistent AF patients befor...

BACKGROUND Many atrial fibrillation (AF) patients have a poor understanding of the management of this condition. We investigated patient attitudes towards AF and a potential invasive treatment following an average 10-year period of prospective rhythm control in a cohort of newly diagnosed AF patients. METHODS This was a prospective registry-based study. At the regular annual visit in 2007, pa...

INTRODUCTION Data on real-life management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Poland is limited. OBJECTIVES To present data on 1-year follow-up of patients from Poland included in a worldwide registry on patients with AF (RecordAF). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with recent onset AF were included (n=303). Treatment strategy (rhythm or rate control) was noted at baseline. Therapeutic success (con...