Atrial Fibrillation: Biophysics, Molecular Mechanisms, and Novel Therapies

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects millions of people worldwide and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality [1]. The incidence of AF is expected to rise with aging of the population. Research over the past decades has identified a multitude of pathophysiological processes contributing to the initiation, maintenance, and progression of AF. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of AF pathophysiology is needed to foster the development of improved diagnostic, pharmacological, and nonpharmacological therapeutic approaches to improve clinical management. The focus of this special issue of this journal is to capture most recent advances in the study of AF with the aim of directing further research. Conventional mechanisms linked to AF are diverse and expertly reviewed in various manuscripts [2, 3]. However, progression in the field of AF research may come from an unconventional view-angle. For example, M. Miragoli and A. V. Glukhov reviewed the role of myofibroblasts as novel targets for cardiac arrhythmias with the aim of describing and evaluating the implications of noncardiomyocyte view in the context of AF. B. Weil and C. Ozcan discussed the pathophysiological remodelling in AF in comparison with that occurring in hibernating myocardium, attempting to identify common molecular mechanisms and proposing possible future therapeutic implications of this emerging paradigm.