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Updated: Nov 1, 2025
Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
[Optimizing the detection of subclinical atrial fibrillation after ESUS]
J Masjuán1, M Sanmartín-Fernández2,3, I Ferreira-González4,3
1Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, España.
Introduction:
It has been estimated that approximately 20% of ischemic strokes have a cardioembolic origin and the cause is not detected or there are more than one in 9-25% of ischemic strokes. An adequate diagnostic approach of ESUS would allow an optimization of antithrombotic treatment.
Objective:
Narrative update about the available evidence on the best diagnostic and therapeutic approach among patients with ESUS and how to optimize the detection of atrial fibrillation as a potential cause is reviewed.
Development:
A search was conducted on PubMed (MEDLINE), using the MeSH terms [ESUS] + [atrial fibrillation] + [diagnosis] + [treatment]. Original data from clinical trials, prospective and retrospective studies and reviews were selected.
Conclusions:
The detection of atrial fibrillation after ESUS is mandatory to optimize the treatment. However, not all patients have the same risk of developing silent atrial fibrillation. There are some factors that increase this risk (left atrium enlargement, elderly, frequent premature supraventricular complexes). In these patients, a more prolonged monitorization could increase the possibility of detecting atrial fibrillation, and consequently, to benefit more from anticoagulant treatment.
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