Heartbeat: Highlights from this issue

Prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) is an urgent unmet clinical need given its association with a higher risk of stroke, heart failure and death. Known risk factors for AF include age, hypertension, body mass index and diabetes as well as markers of systemic inflammation; all of which likely contribute to the high prevalence of this dysrhythmia in our aging, increasingly obese, population. However, there currently are no established biomarkers to help in assessment of AF risk. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-generated hormone with lower levels seen with increased adiposity. Adiponectin has insulin sensitizing, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects in experimental studies suggesting that, at least in theory, a lower adiponectin level might increase the likelihood of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including AF. Paradoxically, previous clinical studies have reported the exact opposite finding for coronary disease, heart failure and all cause mortality, with mixed results for the association between adiponectin levels...
Source: Heart - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Drugs: cardiovascular system, Hypertension, Epidemiology, Tobacco use Heartbeat Source Type: research