Postimplantational atrial fibrillation in patients of older age categories with nonischaemic cardiac event

Abstract

The purpose and the objectives of the research were the study of the course nature of postimplantational atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients of older age categories and the identification of individual links of its pathogenetic structures. We examined 387 patients aged 65-80 years with an implanted cardiac pacemaker. The object of the study included 46 (12 %) individuals (30 males and 16 females) with nonischemic postimplantational atrial fibrillation, with no signs of stenosing atherosclerosis of coronary arteries among all the patients. Postimplantational AF in the elderly is characterized by the symptoms of dizziness, nonischemic pain in the precardiac area, shortness of breath, fatigue on physical exertion, predominantly supraventricular premature contraction, diffuse changes, myocardium hypertrophy and dilatation of the cavities of the left heart, diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle, different classes of ventricular arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension, the presence of degenerative changes of the heart valves. In patients of older age groups with postimplantational AF a complex multifactorial set of pathological disorders is formed which is manifested by the changes in the rheological properties of blood (hyperviscosity, hyperaggegation of formed elements), the state of protein and lipid metabolism and myocardial remodeling, the presence of systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction of the vessels.