Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
28:13

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 26, 2013

Unrecognized myocardial infarction and risk of atrial fibrillation: the Rotterdam Study

Bouwe P Krijthe1, Maarten J G Leening, Jan Heeringa

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Aging (NCHA), The Netherlands.

International Journal of Cardiology
|January 22, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Unrecognized myocardial infarction doubles atrial fibrillation risk in men. This risk remains significant even after accounting for common cardiovascular factors. Women showed no increased risk.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Myocardial infarction (MI) increases atrial fibrillation (AF) risk.
  • Many MIs go unrecognized, and their association with AF risk is unclear.
  • Investigating unrecognized MI's impact on AF development is crucial for cardiovascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if electrocardiographic signs of unrecognized myocardial infarction (UMI) increase atrial fibrillation (AF) risk.
  • To assess the association between UMI and incident AF in a prospective, population-based cohort.

Main Methods:

  • The Rotterdam Study cohort, comprising 6175 participants (2505 men, 3670 women) without baseline AF.
  • Participants classified into groups: recognized MI, ECG-based unrecognized MI, or no MI.
  • AF incidence ascertained through ECGs and medical records over an average 11.7-year follow-up.

Main Results:

  • Unrecognized myocardial infarction (UMI) was associated with a 2.21-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in men.
  • This association in men remained independent of age and cardiovascular risk factors.
  • No significant association between UMI and AF was observed in women (HR: 0.92).

Conclusions:

  • Unrecognized myocardial infarction (UMI) significantly increases the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) in men.
  • This association is independent of established cardiovascular risk factors, highlighting UMI as a critical predictor.
  • The findings suggest sex-specific differences in the relationship between UMI and AF.
Abstract

Keywords:
Atrial fibrillationECGEpidemiologyMyocardial infarction

More Related Videos

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation23:33

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 28, 2012

Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation08:10

Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: July 20, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies01:30

Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies

Diagnosing acute coronary syndrome or ACS begins with a thorough patient history. Notable symptoms include central, crushing chest pain radiating to the left arm, neck, jaw, or back, along with shortness of breath, sweating (diaphoresis), nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and palpitations.It is crucial to note any history of cardiac illnesses and assess risk factors, including age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and a sedentary lifestyle.During physical examination, vital...
Acute Coronary Syndrome II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations01:19

Acute Coronary Syndrome II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations

The pathophysiology of Acute Coronary Syndrome [ACD] involves several key processes:The main underlying cause of ACD is atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the buildup of lipid-laden plaques within the coronary arteries.As the atherosclerotic plaque grows in the coronary artery, it may become unstable due to the formation of a lipid-rich core and a thin fibrous cap. Inflammatory cells within the plaque, such as macrophages, secrete enzymes that degrade the...
Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies01:22

Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies

The key clinical manifestations of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include several distinct cardiac symptoms.Carditis, a hallmark of acute rheumatic fever, involves inflammation of the heart's endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium. Chronic RHD often results from recurrent episodes of carditis. Its symptoms include the following:Murmurs are caused by valvular damage, especially to the mitral and aortic valves. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation is common, with characteristic heart murmurs...
Acute Coronary Syndrome I: Introduction01:30

Acute Coronary Syndrome I: Introduction

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) encompasses a spectrum of heart conditions caused by sudden obstruction of coronary arteries, typically resulting from the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque and subsequent thrombus (blood clot) formation. This obstruction can lead to partial or complete blockage of blood flow, causing varying degrees of myocardial ischemia or infarction.ACS includes the following clinical entities:Unstable Angina (UA)Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI)ST-Elevation...