Open AccessIntracellular Calcium Dynamics and Autonomic Stimulation in Atrial Fibrillation: Mechanisms and Implications
Author(s) -
Chou ChungChuan,
Chen PengSheng,
Wu Delon
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of arrhythmia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.463
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1883-2148
pISSN - 1880-4276
DOI - 10.1016/s1880-4276(08)80010-5
Subject(s) - atrial fibrillation , medicine , autonomic nervous system , cardiology , calcium in biology , reentry , catheter ablation , stimulation , neuroscience , calcium , blood pressure , heart rate , biology
While atrial fibrillation is characterized by the co‐existence of multiple activation waves within the atria, rapid activations in the pulmonary veins play an important role for the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation. In addition to reentry, non‐reentrant mechanisms resulting from abnormal intracellular calcium handling and intracellular calcium overload can also be responsible for these rapid activations in the pulmonary veins. Meanwhile, alterations of autonomic tone, involving both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, have been implicated in initiating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. But the effectiveness of autonomic modulation as an adjunctive therapeutic strategy to catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation has been inconsistent. The interactions between the autonomic nervous system and atrial fibrillation are more complex than currently understood and further mechanistic and clinical studies are warranted.