Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease – Another Risk Factor for Atrial Fibrillation?

Surgical Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation during Mitral Valve Repair: A Cure for Arrhythmia?

“…Profound structural changes associated with either pressure or volume overload predictably result in mechanical and electrical remodeling of the left atrium, creating the milieu for the development of AF. Once AF occurs, it further contributes to unfavorable remodeling of the atria and is associated with local and systemic activation of various hormonal systems and inflammatory processes [1,2,3]. In patients with severe mitral valve disease, surgical intervention can afford dramatic reversal of the hemodynamic insult to the atrium, which, at least intuitively, should promote resolution of AF.…”