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Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
[Obesity as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation]
Iwona Duraj1, Marlena Broncel1
1Department of Internal Diseases and Clinical Pharmacology Medical University of Lodz.
Insights
Obesity is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), a growing public health concern. Research is exploring how obesity-related factors like inflammation and anatomical changes contribute to AF development.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology and Public Health
Context:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) and obesity are significant global public health issues.
- Obesity is an independent, modifiable risk factor for AF, with prevalence reaching epidemic proportions worldwide.
- The link between obesity and AF is increasingly recognized, necessitating further investigation into underlying mechanisms.
Purpose:
- To explore the mechanisms by which obesity predisposes individuals to atrial fibrillation.
- To understand the role of inflammation and anatomical changes in obesity-induced AF.
Summary:
- Obesity is a significant risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF).
- Potential mechanisms include altered atrial anatomy, increased atrial pressure, mechanical stretch, fibrosis, and disrupted electrical integrity.
- Inflammation, particularly proinflammatory cytokines from epicardial adiposity, plays a crucial role.
Impact:
- Highlights the critical need to address obesity as a modifiable risk factor for AF prevention and management.
- Provides insights into the pathophysiology of AF in obese individuals.
- Informs future research directions for targeted interventions.
Abstract:
Atrial fibrillation (AF) and obesity is a growing problem of public health both in Poland and in the whole world. AF risk factors may be summarized as elderliness, male sex, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, coronary heart disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, cardiac surgery. Once obesity is an independent, potentially modifiable risk factor for AF. The connection between obesity and atrial fibrillation is very up-to-date because of incremental prevalence, almost epidemic of obesity in the whole world. The probability of AF among obese patients increases with concomitant obstructive sleep apnea. Regardless many researches it hasn't been assessed yet how obesity itself predisposes to AF. It could be an effect of change in the atrial anatomy, the rise of atrial pressure, mechanical stretch, interstitial atrial fibrosis and disruption of atrial electric integrity. A great role is ascribed to inflammation, especially proinflammatory cytokines increased by adipocites of left atrial epicardial adiposity.
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