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Atrial Fibrillation: Inflammation in Disguise?
Author(s) -
Lappegård K. T.,
Hovland A.,
Pop G. A. M.,
Mollnes T. E.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/sji.12061
Subject(s) - atrial fibrillation , medicine , cardiology , embolism , inflammation , heart failure , intensive care medicine , disease , cardiac arrhythmia
Atrial fibrillation is highly prevalent, and affected patients are at an increased risk of a number of complications, including heart failure and thrombo‐embolism. Over the past years, there has been increasing interest in the role of inflammatory processes in atrial fibrillation, from the first occurrence of the arrhythmia to dreaded complications such as strokes or peripheral emboli. As the standard drug combination which aims at rate control and anticoagulation only offers partial protection against complications, newer agents are needed to optimize treatment. In this paper, we review recent knowledge regarding the impact of inflammation on the occurrence, recurrence, perpetuation and complications of the arrhythmia, as well as the role of anti‐inflammatory therapies in the treatment for the disease.