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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Atrial fibrillation--advances in drug therapy
Sudip Nanda1, Sultan M Siddique, Matthew W Martinez
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, PA, USA. sudipnanda2000@yahoo.com
Abstract:
The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) continues to increase worldwide. It is projected that by 2050, between 5 and 15 million Americans will have AF. Such predictions necessitate new advances in drug therapy. AF is associated with changes in ionic currents. Atrial fibrosis, changes in gap junctions and cell membranes act in concert to initiate and maintain AF. Significant advances in understanding the pathophysiology of this condition have led to numerous new drug discoveries in the last decade. We discuss newly patented molecules that act as sodium and potassium channel blockers, gap junction and intracellular calcium modulators, stretch receptor antagonists, ischemic ion current inhibitors and adenosine receptor agonists.
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