At the recent Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium, catheter ablation was presented as possibly a better atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment option for serious and professional athletes than antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs). According to Dr. Riccardo Cappato (Institute Policlinics San Donato, Milan, Italy), antiarrhythmic drug therapy has not been popular with this patient population."Even when effective, AADs significantly …
Read More
A newly published study shows obesity is a major risk factor for left atrial enlargement (LAE), a condition in which the left upper chamber of the heart is oversized. That's important to people who are concerned about atrial fibrillation (AF) because LAE is a risk factor for afib, stroke and death. Read more: Obesity Raises …
Read More
A new study reports that blood levels of a protein hormone called N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) predicts new atrial fibrillation, regardless of other afib risk factors. Those with the highest levels were four times as likely to develop afib as those with the lowest levels. In the study, elevated levels of NT-proBNP occurred as …
Read More
Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that disrupts breathing during sleep, is believed to be linked to atrial fibrillation (AF) but until now, we didn’t know if apnea could actually trigger arrhythmias like afib. Now a new study shows the odds of having an abnormal heartbeat are 18 times higher immediately after an apnea episode, compared …
Read More
A newly published study reports on a type of cell found in the upper chamber (atrium) of the heart and in the pulmonary veins that triggers atrial fibrillation. Like the skin cells that make pigment, the afib-trigger cells produce an enzyme called DCT. Researchers hope this discovery will lead to new research and effective atrial …
Read More
Sleep apnea is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation. It is also associated with hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, diabetes, and insulin resistance, all of which are risk factors for, or results of, atrial fibrillation. Now a new study has just reported that men between the ages of 40 and 70 who …
Read More
We continue to learn more about the family connection in atrial fibrillation. A second gene was just found that increases the risk of afib and stroke. At least one third of those of European descent carry one copy of the newly-discovered variant in the ZFHX3 gene and have a 20% increase in risk of afib …
Read More
A new study just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that increasing severity of sleep apnea is associated with a progressively increasing risk of atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias. The type of sleep apnea matters: Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of ventricular events Central sleep apnea is common in heart …
Read More
In news from Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium 2009, Mellanie True Hills heard some startling new information about atrial fibrillation and obstructive sleep apnea. She interviewed ablation pioneer Dr. Warren (Sonny) Jackman on video about those findings. Read: Noted Electrophysiologist and Ablation Pioneer Discusses New Findings About Afib and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Read More
Because the holidays are full of potential atrial fibrillation triggers—food, hot and cold beverages, alcohol, stress, cold weather, and many more triggers—here's wishing you the willpower to resist your triggers. And if you can't resist, here's wishing that your body holds the afib beast at bay. Here are a couple of recent articles that may …
Read More