Is Atrial Fibrillation a Genetic Disease?

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation remains one of the most challenging arrhythmias for the clinician and basic researcher. Different approaches have been undertaken to improve its understanding; from the development of animal models to the analysis of genetic backgrounds in individuals with familial and acquired forms of the disease. In the last few years, a large body of evidence has shown that alterations in ionic currents are involved in the disease. However, it has not been until recently, with the genetic link between mutations in proteins responsible for these ionic currents and the familial disease, that we have been given the final evidence that atrial fibrillation can also be primarily an ion channelopathy. Despite the limited prevalence of the inherited diseases, it has been shown before that the knowledge gained in their study will be helpful in dealing with the most common acquired forms of the disease. Therefore, as data keep unraveling, clinicians can expect that soon better therapeutic and preventive options for atrial fibrillation will emerge from basic science.

Is Helicobacter pylori a Cause of Atrial fibrillation?

“…Theories include atrial remodeling [15,16], genetic predisposition [17][18][19], pulmonary vein activity [20,21], drug inducement [22], oxidative stress [23] and so forth. Some studies have sought to identify the triggers for AF in the absence of structural heart disease, such as lone AF.…”

Simulating the effects of atrial fibrillation induced electrical remodeling: A comprehensive simulation study

“…Clinical electrophysiologists concur that atrial tachycardias are due to some form of electrical re-entrant waves. Several factors including structural changes, rapid pulmonary vein discharge [1], pacemaker dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, genetic disorders [2] and effects of aging have been implicated as causal effects for the onset of paroxysmal AF and its consequent transformation into persistent AF [3]. AF self-perpetuates and is an indicator of other tachycardia like atrioventricular node re-entry.…”

Genomics and Cardiac Arrhythmias

“…The relative risk of atrial fibrillation was increased 85% in individuals with at least one parent with a history of atrial fibrillation (16). We identified the first locus for familial atrial fibrillation on chromosome 10 (10q22), confirming the inheritance of this disease (24). Currently, seven chromosomal loci have been mapped and four of the genes identified.…”