Atrial remodeling: evolving concepts.
Year: 2003
Type: article
Abstract: The term "Electrophysiological remodeling " defines the changes of atrial electrophysiologic properties taking place in atrial myocites during atrial fibrillation and/or following periods of sustained atrial fibrillation (AF). Early research was prompted by clinical observations: many patients were seen to get through increasingly frequent and longer paroxisms of AF to persistent AF, until chronic AF eventually ensued, without significant changes of underlying heart disease. Indeed, clinical electrophysiology investigations reported peculiar differences between AF patients and patients without atrial arrhythmias. It was felt that the electrophysiologic milieu was the cause of AF 1,2, until a change of perspective occurred in the early 90's, thanks to experimental research. In his pioneering work, Wijffels kept goats fibrillating by an implanted device, while measuring atrial refractoriness and its rate adaptation as spontaneous restoration of sinus rhythm occurred. He found that, after several self terminating short bouts of AF, the arrhythmia became considerably longer until a duration of days or weeks was reached. The electrophysiologic companionship of AF pattern transformation consisted of significant shortening of atrial
Source: PubMed
Authors: Mauro Biffi, Giuseppe Boriani
Institution: University of Bologna
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W57467104