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The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
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Atrial Cardiopathy and Stroke Prevention
Mitchell S V Elkind1,2,3
1Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. mse13@columbia.edu.
Current Cardiology Reports
|September 14, 2018
Summary
Atrial cardiopathy, a condition underlying atrial fibrillation, may cause unexplained strokes even without the arrhythmia. Identifying biomarkers for atrial cardiopathy could lead to new treatments for cardioembolic stroke.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Ischemic stroke patients often present with embolic findings but lack atrial fibrillation.
- Atrial cardiopathy, the pathological atrial substrate for atrial fibrillation, is increasingly implicated in cryptogenic strokes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on atrial cardiopathy as a cause of stroke.
- To explore the pathophysiology, biomarkers, and therapeutic implications of atrial cardiopathy.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating atrial cardiopathy and stroke.
- Analysis of evidence linking atrial dysfunction to thromboembolic risk.
- Examination of proposed biomarkers for atrial cardiopathy.
Main Results:
- Strokes can occur due to atrial disorders even without diagnosed atrial fibrillation.
- Left atrial appendage dysfunction, a marker of atrial cardiopathy, increases stroke risk independently of atrial fibrillation.
- Biomarkers indicating left atrial abnormalities are associated with stroke risk in non-atrial fibrillation patients.
Conclusions:
- Atrial cardiopathy, identified through biomarkers, presents a potential therapeutic target for preventing cardioembolic strokes in patients without atrial fibrillation.
- Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating these therapeutic strategies.
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