Atrial Fibrillation

• Diagnosis, Imaging, Screening
• General Information
• Guidelines
• Internet Sites
• Risk Factors
• Risk Reduction
• Treatment - Daily Report

Treatment is updated daily with the most recent articles listed on top.
To view only the last month's articles for the other sub-topics, go to our Monthly Online Newsletters page

If you have any questions regarding our Search Reports, please contact us at info@infomedsearch.com.

Atrial Fibrillation

NIH - Medical Enyclopedia: Atrial fibrillation/flutter

"Atrial fibrillation/flutter is a heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia). It usually involves a rapid heart rate, in which the upper heart chambers (atria) are stimulated to contract in a very disorganized and abnormal manner."

Highlighted Article

Atrial fibrillation. (Mt Sinai J Med. 2006)

"Diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, valvular disease, and myocardial infarction are all risk factors in the development of atrial fibrillation. And the diagnosis confers a five-fold increase in the incidence of stroke."

Visit InfoMedSearch's Home Page for all InfoMedLinks Cardiovascular Topics: Atherosclerosis, Atrial Fibrillation, Coronary Artery Disease, Cholesterol - Lipids, General Cardiovascular, Heart Failure, Hypertension, Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack), Peripheral Artery Disease, and Stroke.

Continue your InfoMedSearch research with our previous InfoMedLinks. Start with InfoMedLinks 2006.

Searching for more specific information related to your condition? InfoMedSearch researchers can search and provide you with a custom report. We can also keep you updated. Great Price! Check out our Search Services page. Use our experience to find the important medical information you need. Help protect you and your family's health.

Atrial Fibrillation

Daily Treatment Report

Cognitive Therapy-CBT-Psychotherapy

Device Therapy

Lower body mass index and atrial fibrillation as independent predictors for mortality in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator. (Croat Med J. 2007) "CONCLUSION: Patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator and a normal to lower BMI or atrial fibrillation had a significantly higher overall mortality. These factors may be indicative of end stage heart failure or diseases associated with high sympathetic activation."

Drug Side-Effects and Interactions

Acute Fatal Post-CABG Low Dose Amiodarone Lung Toxicity. (Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann. 2007)

Thyroid function abnormalities during amiodarone therapy for persistent atrial fibrillation. (Am J Med. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: Hypothyroidism developed in 30.8% of older males treated with amiodarone and in only 6.9% of the controls. Hypothyroidism presented at an early stage of therapy. Hyperthyroidism occurred in 5.3% of amiodarone treated patients, and was a subclinical entity in all but 1 case."

Anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation: selected controversies including optimal anticoagulation intensity, treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage. (J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2007)

Risk factors for anticoagulation-related bleeding complications in patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review. (QJM. 2007) "The following patient characteristics were identified as having supporting evidence for being risk factors for anticoagulation-related bleeding complications: advanced age, uncontrolled hypertension, history of myocardial infarction or ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, anaemia or a history of bleeding, and the concomitant use of other drugs such as antiplatelet agents. The presence of diabetes mellitus, controlled hypertension and gender were not identified as significant risk factors. Some of the risk factors for anticoagulation-related bleeding are also indications for the use of anticoagulants in AF patients. There is a need for further research in this area to help physicians to balance the risks and benefits of anticoagulation in AF patients."

Amiodarone for Atrial Fibrillation Following Cardiac Surgery: Development of Clinical Practice Guidelines at a University Hospital. (Clin Cardiol. 2007)

Death and Disability from Warfarin-Associated Intracranial and Extracranial Hemorrhages (The American Journal of Medicine 2007) "Among anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation, intracranial hemorrhages caused approximately 90% of the deaths from warfarin-associated hemorrhage and the majority of disability among survivors. When considering anticoagulation, patients and clinicians need to weigh the risk of intracranial hemorrhage far more than the risk of all major hemorrhages."

Risk of bleeding in very old atrial fibrillation patients on warfarin: Relationship with ageing and CHADS(2) score. (Thromb Res. 2007) "CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that: 1) in AF patients older than 75 years with CHADS(2) score 1-3 the risk of bleeding is low, 2) in AF patients >85 years with CHADS(2)4-6 the risk of bleeding is high so that the use of OAT should be highly individualised."

Major hemorrhage and tolerability of warfarin in the first year of therapy among elderly patients with atrial fibrillation. (Circulation. 2007)

Amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis: clinical course and predictors of outcome. (J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007)

Amiodarone-related Pneumonitis. (J Formos Med Assoc. 2007) "Clinicians must remain alert to detect amiodarone-related pneumonitis even under low dosage and short duration of amiodarone usage. Immediate withdrawal of amiodarone and prompt steroid therapy will ensure full recovery."

Amiodaronoma: an unusual form of amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity. (CMAJ. 2007)

Major Hemorrhage and Tolerability of Warfarin in the First Year of Therapy Among Elderly Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. (Circulation. 2007)

Amiodarone Therapy for Atrial Rhythm Control: Insights Gained From a Single Center Experience. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2007) "Introduction: Amiodarone has been advocated as an effective "long-term" therapy for atrial rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). … The incidence of amiodarone cessation was evaluated at 1, 2, and 3 years and attributed principally to drug inefficacy, intolerance, or toxicity. A gradual diminution in the number of patients on therapy was observed, such that by 3 years, only 45% remained. This was attributable to inefficacy (25%), intolerance (12%), or toxicity (18%). Pulmonary toxicity was surprisingly common, occurring in at least 7% of patients. Conclusions: These data challenge the notion of amiodarone as a reasonable "destination" therapy for AF."

Antithrombotic Therapy in AF Remains Problematic

Anticoagulation treatment for the reduction of stroke in atrial fibrillation: a cohort study to examine the gap between guidelines and routine medical practice. (J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2007) "BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart arrhythmia, affecting 6% of people over 65 years, and carries a 4.5% average annual stroke risk, which can be reduced by appropriate anticoagulation."

Drugs

Warfarin vs Aspirin in Atrial Fibrillation -- New Perspectives: A Best Evidence Review (Medscape Family Medicine. 2007)

Effects of statin therapy on preventing atrial fibrillation in coronary disease and heart failure. (Am Heart J. 2007)

Statin use and development of atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials and observational studies. (Int J Cardiol. 2007 )

Prescribing Amiodarone (JAMA. 2007) "Conclusion Amiodarone should be used with close follow-up in patients who are likely to derive the most benefit, namely those with atrial fibrillation and left ventricular dysfunction, those with acute sustained ventricular arrhythmias, those about to undergo cardiac surgery, and those with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and symptomatic shocks."

Oral anticoagulants versus antiplatelet therapy for preventing stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and no history of stroke or transient ischemic attacks. (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007) "AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Adjusted-dose warfarin and related oral anticoagulants reduce stroke, disabling stroke and other major vascular events for those with non-valvular AF by about one third when compared with antiplatelet therapy."

[Treatment of atrial fibrillation.] (Internist (Berl). 2007)

Guideline-adherent antithrombotic treatment is associated with improved outcomes compared with undertreatment in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation. The Euro Heart Survey on Atrial Fibrillation. (Am Heart J. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: Antithrombotic undertreatment of high-risk patients with AF was associated with a worse cardiovascular prognosis during 1 year, whereas overtreatment was not associated with a higher chance for major bleeding."

New concepts for old drugs to maintain sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation. (Heart Rhythm. 2007)

Meta-analysis: Antithrombotic Therapy to Prevent Stroke in Patients Who Have Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation (Annals 2007) "Adjusted-dose warfarin and antiplatelet agents reduce stroke by approximately 60% and by approximately 20%, respectively, in patients who have atrial fibrillation. Warfarin is substantially more efficacious (by approximately 40%) than antiplatelet therapy. Absolute increases in major extracranial hemorrhage associated with antithrombotic therapy in participants from the trials included in this meta-analysis were less than the absolute reductions in stroke. Judicious use of antithrombotic therapy importantly reduces stroke for most patients who have atrial fibrillation. "

Meta-analysis of magnesium therapy for the acute management of rapid atrial fibrillation. (Am J Cardiol. 2007) "In conclusion, the present meta-analysis of published data suggests that intravenous magnesium administration is an effective and safe strategy for the acute management of rapid AF."

The impact of warfarin use on clinical outcomes in atrial fibrillation: A population-based study. (Can J Cardiol. 2007)

Practical regimen for amiodarone use in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation. (Ann Thorac Surg. 2007) "BACKGROUND: Postoperative atrial fibrillation occurs in 5% to 65% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Although postoperative atrial fibrillation is often regarded as a temporary, benign, operation-related problem, it is associated with a twofold to threefold increase in risk of adverse events, including permanent or transient stroke, acute myocardial infarction, and death."

Dronedarone: An Amiodarone Analog for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter (April). (Ann Pharmacother. 2007)

Secondary stroke prevention with ximelagatran versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation: pooled analysis of SPORTIF III and V clinical trials. (Stroke. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: Ximelagatran was at least as effective as well-controlled warfarin for the secondary prevention of stroke. The nonrandomized, concomitant treatment with aspirin and anticoagulation was associated with increased bleeding without evidence of a reduction in primary outcome events."

Enhanced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality during rhythm control treatment in persistent atrial fibrillation in hypertensives: data of the RACE study (EHJ 2007) "Conclusion In persistent AF patients with hypertension, a pharmacological rhythm control approach is associated with enhanced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Therefore, rate-control strategy should be considered in these patients."

[Atrial fibrillation and renin-angiotensin system] (Nippon Rinsho. 2007) "Many recent mega-trials regarding atrial fibrillation have failed to prove the efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs to improve the mortality and morbidity of patients with atrial fibrillation. … "

Medical management of atrial fibrillation: Future directions. (Heart Rhythm. 2007) "Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia that requires treatment, and although ablation is appropriate in many cases, antiarrythmic drug therapy remains the first and most appropriate therapy in most patients. Currently available antiarrhythmic drugs are limited by modest efficacy and significant toxicity. Cardiac toxicity realtes to effects on the ventricle, especially in prolonging the QT interval and causing torsades de pointes. Amiodarone, an agent with multiple antiarrhythmic effects, is unique in its relative lack of proarrhythmia, although its non-cardiac toxicities limit its use."

Secondary Stroke Prevention With Ximelagatran Versus Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation (Stroke. 2007) "Conclusions— Ximelagatran was at least as effective as well-controlled warfarin for the secondary prevention of stroke. The nonrandomized, concomitant treatment with aspirin and anticoagulation was associated with increased bleeding without evidence of a reduction in primary outcome events."

Management of warfarin in atrial fibrillation: views of health professionals, older patients and their carers. (Med J Aust. 2007)

Newly Detected Atrial Fibrillation and Compliance With Antithrombotic Guidelines (Arch Intern Med. 2007) "Three quarters of the patients with newly detected AF received antithrombotic therapy, yet many at high risk of stroke did not receive warfarin. Atrial fibrillation classification, rather than stroke risk factors, was strongly associated with warfarin use."

Secondary Stroke Prevention With Ximelagatran Versus Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. Pooled Analysis of SPORTIF III and V Clinical Trials. (Stroke. 2007) " CONCLUSIONS: Ximelagatran was at least as effective as well-controlled warfarin for the secondary prevention of stroke. The nonrandomized, concomitant treatment with aspirin and anticoagulation was associated with increased bleeding without evidence of a reduction in primary outcome events."

Exercise

Exercise capacity in atrial fibrillation: A substudy of the Sotalol-Amiodarone Atrial Fibrillation Efficacy Trial (SAFE-T) (American Heart Journal 2007)

General Information

Delayed rhythm control of atrial fibrillation may be a cause of failure to prevent recurrences: reasons for change to active antiarrhythmic treatment at the time of the first detected episode. (Europace. 2007) “Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with impaired functional capacity and quality of life and significant morbidity and mortality. The current management approach fails to maintain stable sinus rhythm (SR) in the majority of patients. For many years, guidelines have recommended antiarrhythmic treatment of a first AF episode only if the AF is poorly tolerated, a position that has been reinforced by studies showing no mortality or morbidity advantage of rhythm control over rate control.”

Current Status of the Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation. (World J Surg. 2007)

Incidence of stroke in paroxysmal versus sustained atrial fibrillation in patients taking oral anticoagulation or combined antiplatelet therapy: an ACTIVE W Substudy. (J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007)

Clinical review: Treatment of new-onset atrial fibrillation in medical intensive care patients: a clinical framework. (Crit Care. 2007 )

Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: Risk factors and their temporal relationship in prophylactic drug strategy decision. (Int J Cardiol. 2007 )

Antiarrhythmics for maintaining sinus rhythm after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007)

When, how, and why should sinus rhythm be restored in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation? (Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med. 2007) "The results of the AFFIRM (Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management) trial indicate that the rate control strategy is preferred for the majority of patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). If the patient remains symptomatic despite adequate rate control or if rate control cannot be achieved, then rhythm control therapies are indicated. The most likely explanation for the disappointing results of the AFFIRM trial is the poor efficacy and excessive toxicity of rhythm control medications, because the presence of sinus rhythm was associated with a favorable prognosis in AFFIRM. As a result, there is currently great interest in nonpharmacologic therapies such as AF ablation …"

Outcome parameters for trials in atrial fibrillation: executive summary: Recommendations from a consensus conference organized by the German Atrial Fibrillation Competence NETwork (AFNET) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA). (Eur Heart J. 2007) "Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common atrial arrhythmia, has a complex aetiology and causes relevant morbidity and mortality due to different mechanisms, including but not limited to stroke, heart failure, and tachy- or bradyarrhythmia. Current therapeutic options (rate control, rhythm control, antithrombotic therapy, 'upstream therapy') only prevent a part of this burden of disease"

Direct Thrombin Inhibition and Stroke Prevention in Elderly Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. Experience From the SPORTIF III and V Trials. (Stroke. 2007)

Management of atrial fibrillation. (Lancet. 2007)

Warfarin versus aspirin for stroke prevention in an elderly community population with atrial fibrillation (the Birmingham Atrial Fibrillation Treatment of the Aged Study, BAFTA): a randomised controlled trial (The Lancet 2007) "Background: Anticoagulants are more effective than antiplatelet agents at reducing stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation, but whether this benefit outweighs the increased risk of bleeding in elderly patients is unknown … These data support the use of anticoagulation therapy for people aged over 75 who have atrial fibrillation, unless there are contraindications or the patient decides that the benefits are not worth the inconvenience."

Management of atrial fibrillation. (Aust Fam Physician. 2007)

Comparison of Rate Versus Rhythm Control for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction (from the AFFIRM Study). (Am J Cardiol. 2007) "In conclusion, there was no significant improvement in mortality, hospitalization, and NYHA class with the strategy of rhythm control in any of the 3 EF strata. When the data were analyzed by final rhythm status, we again found no significant benefit to patients in the rhythm control arm."

Burden of atrial fibrillation after cardiac resynchronization therapy. (Am J Cardiol. 2007)

Oral anticoagulants versus antiplatelet therapy for preventing stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and no history of stroke or transient ischemic attacks. (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007) "BACKGROUND: Non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) carries an increased risk of stroke mediated by embolism of stasis-precipitated thrombi originating in the left atrial appendage. Both oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents have proven effective for stroke prevention in most patients at high risk for vascular events, but primary stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular AF potentially merits separate consideration because of the suspected cardio-embolic mechanism of most strokes in AF patients. … AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Adjusted-dose warfarin and related oral anticoagulants reduce stroke, disabling stroke and other major vascular events for those with non-valvular AF by about one third when compared with antiplatelet therapy."

Exercise capacity in atrial fibrillation: a substudy of the Sotalol-Amiodarone Atrial Fibrillation Efficacy Trial (SAFE-T). (Am Heart J. 2007)

[The prevention of brain infarction in patients with atrial fibrillation] (Brain Nerve. 2007) "The patients with cardioembolic stroke sometimes suffer from severe neurological deficit and from recurrent strokes. Since atrial fibrillation, especially non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is associated with over half of the cardioembolic strokes, the prevention of cardioembolic stroke in patients with NVAF is important. There have been some reports about how to prevent stroke. They have indicated that the best medication for preventing from stroke was anticoagulation by warfarin."

Atrial strain rate echocardiography can predict success or failure of cardioversion for atrial fibrillation: a combined transthoracic tissue Doppler and transoesophageal imaging study. (Int J Cardiol. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: SR can be measured in the basal LA wall in atrial fibrillation and the magnitude of the early diastolic SR could predict the success of cardioversion and the likelihood of maintenance of sinus rhythm."

[The prevention of brain infarction in patients with atrial fibrillation] (No To Shinkei. 2007)

Antithrombotic drug prescription in atrial fibrillation and its rationale among general practitioners, internists and cardiologists in The Netherlands - The EXAMINE-AF study. A questionnaire survey. (Int J Clin Pract. 2007)

Guidelines

NGC - ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 guidelines for management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death. A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Develop Guidelines for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death). (2006)

NGC - ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation. A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the 2001 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation). (2006)

NGC - Implantable cardioverter defibrillators for arrhythmias. (2006)

NGC - Atrial fibrillation. National clinical guideline for management in primary and secondary care. (2006)

Management of Atrial Fibrillation: An Overview of the NICE Guidance on AF Management (Br J Cardiol. 2007)

Immunotherapy

Internet Sites

Treatment Information

DrugBank (drug structure)

FDA - MedWatch (Drug Alerts)

Drug-Food-Supplement Information

Drug Information Online

Drug Interaction Checker

DrugDigest (drug interactions)

FDA - Drug Interactions: What You Should Know

NIH - Botanical Dietary Supplements: Background Information

NIH - Drug, Supplements, and Herbal Information

NIH - Herbal Supplements: Consider Safety, Too

NIH - Medicines

NIH - Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets

Nutrition

Other

Other Treatments

Thoracoscopic microwave ablation of atrial fibrillation. (Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2007)

Experimental

Reduced incidence of vagally induced atrial fibrillation and expression levels of connexins by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in dogs. (J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007)

Radiotherapy

Supplements-Vitamins-CAM

Surgery

Current Status of the Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation. (World J Surg. 2007)

Medium-term outcome of different surgical methods to cure atrial fibrillation: is less worse? (Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2007)

Surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with congestive heart failure. (J Card Fail. 2007)

Evidence-based Approach to Ablating Atrial Fibrillation. (Curr Cardiol Rep. 2007)

Surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with congestive heart failure. (J Card Fail. 2007)

Catheter ablation as first-line therapy for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. (Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2007)

Ablation should not be first-line therapy for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. (Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2007) " … radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation is more akin to the use of angioplasty and less like the treatment of WPW, and cannot be justified as first-line therapy. Unfortunately, excessively optimistic characterization of ablation for atrial fibrillation is obscuring critical issues that ought to be considered by electrophysiologists, referring physicians and patients."

Heart Therapy Strains Efforts to Limit Costs "The nation’s most common cardiac malfunction, once thought harmless but now seen as a potential killer, is testing the ability of regulators to keep up with medical treatments being carried out with scant evidence of long-term effectiveness. With its episodes of rapid and irregular heartbeats, the condition — atrial fibrillation — afflicts at least 2.2 million people in the United States, according to government estimates. While some experience no symptoms and most others seem to suffer little more than weakness or shortness of breath, the condition is now recognized as a major source of strokes and a precursor to potentially fatal deterioration of the heart. …. Some of the biggest questions focus on ablation, which involves burning, freezing, or otherwise neutralizing the portions of the heart muscle where abnormal electrical pulses set off the irregular heartbeats. The technique aims to restore the ability of the two atria, situated at the top of the heart, to effectively gather blood and prime the ventricles, the heart’s main pumps. The original form of atrial ablation, using surgical tools, is still employed, but almost always restricted to cases where the chest is already being cut open for heart valve replacement or other surgery. But most atrial ablations are now minimally invasive procedures using tiny devices mounted at the end of long, flexible plastic catheters that are threaded into the heart through veins. "

Catheter ablation as first-line therapy for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. (Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2007)

Electrical Cardioversion for AF -- The State of the Art (Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2007)

Complications associated with catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. (Minerva Cardioangiol. 2007) "The most frequent complications arise from pseudoaneurysms, arterio-venous fistulas, hematomas, neurologic events (stroke and transient ischemic attacks), and pericardial effusion/tamponade."

Ablation of atrial fibrillation with concomitant cardiac surgery. (Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007) "Atrial fibrillation is present in approximately 35% of patients presenting for mitral valve surgery and in 1 to 6% of adult patients undergoing other forms of cardiac surgery. If left untreated, atrial fibrillation is associated with increased morbidity, and, in some subgroups, increased mortality. Therefore, concomitant management of the arrhythmia is indicated in most cardiac surgery patients with preexisting atrial fibrillation."

Surgery for atrial fibrillation: a worldwide review. (Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007) "Maze procedure is highly effective in converting atrial fibrillation (AF) back to sinus rhythm and significantly prevents thromboembolism postoperatively. However, the procedure has not been widely performed by many surgeons, because of the technical demand and potential risk of complications of the procedure. During the past several years, the surgical strategy for AF has evolved dramatically and significantly. The evolution can be classified into two strategies: simplification of the lesion set and development of ablation devices."

[Cardiac resynchronization in atrial fibrillation: possibilities and limitations.] (Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 2007)

Advances in surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. (Stroke. 2007) "Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia. It is associated with increased risks of death and stroke; most strokes in AF patients are thought to arise from thrombi in the left atrial appendage. Surgical ablation of AF includes excision of the left atrial appendage and is an effective means of treating this arrhythmia, with the classic Maze procedure curing AF in >90% of patients and virtually eliminating the risk of late stroke."

Safety and efficacy of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with diabetes mellitus-single center experience. (J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: First catheter ablation of AF procedure in DM patients was equally efficacious than in no-DM patients. However, DM patients had a higher incidence of complications, mostly thrombotic or hemorrhagic."

Phrenic nerve injury after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. (Indian Pacing Electrophysiol J. 2007)

Atrial fibrillation and revascularization procedures: clinical and prognostic significance. Incidence, predictors, treatment, and long-term outcome. (Indian Pacing Electrophysiol J. 2007)

The effect of successful electrical cardioversion on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: a tissue Doppler study. (chocardiography. 2007)

Imaging in percutaneous ablation for atrial fibrillation (European Radiology 2007)

Transplantation

Go to the top