Atrial fibrillation begets atrial fibrillation: The role of electroanatomic remodeling

Back in the early 1990s, it was generally believed that the transition from paroxysmal to permanent AF was due to aging and/or the effect of an underlying cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, valvular defects, or heart failure. At that time, we were involved in experimental studies of AF, and during one of our discussions, suddenly the question came up whether AF itself might have a deleterious effect on the atria. Once asked, this intriguing “what if” question could not be ignored and we decided to design a small pilot experiment to test the hypothesis.
Source: Heart Rhythm - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Iconic Figure Source Type: research