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Augmented single‐unit muscle sympathetic nerve activity in heart failure with chronic atrial fibrillation
Author(s) -
Ikeda Tatsunori,
Murai Hisayoshi,
Kaneko Shuichi,
Usui Soichiro,
Kobayashi Daisuke,
Nakano Manabu,
Ikeda Keiko,
Takashima Shinichiro,
Kato Takeshi,
Okajima Masaki,
Furusho Hiroshi,
Takamura Masayuki
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.223842
Subject(s) - medicine , atrial fibrillation , cardiology , sinus rhythm , heart failure , normal sinus rhythm , sympathetic nervous system , heart rhythm , anesthesia , cardiac arrhythmia , blood pressure
Non‐technical summary Augmentation of sympathetic nerve activity plays an important role in the deterioration of heart failure (HF). Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a well known and common complication in chronic HF. However, it remains unclear the relationship between sympathetic nerve activity and irregular ventricular rhythm induced by AF in HF. We examined the different sympathetic firing characteristics between HF patients with and without AF using a single‐unit muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) method, which is a newly developed assessment of direct recording of sympathetic nerve activity. The firing frequency of single‐unit MSNA was increased in HF patients with AF compared with HF patients without AF; particularly, those with a prolonged long RR interval showed multiple firings of single‐unit MSNA. More intense single‐unit MSNA within one cardiac interval occurred in HF patients with AF than patients without AF, even in AF patients receiving heart rate control therapy. Accordingly, our results suggest that AF per se augments central sympathetic activity and the restoration of sinus rhythm may be more effective in the treatment of HF patients with AF.