Atrial fibrillation and heart failure: Treatment considerations for a dual epidemic

Circulation

Volumn 119, Issue 18, 2009, Pages 2516-2525

  Anter, Elad ^a   Jessup, Mariell ^a   Callans, David J ^a,b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA   (United States)

^b HOSPITAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA   (United States)

Author keywords

Arrhythmia; Atrial fibrillation; Heart failure

Indexed keywords

AMIODARONE; ANGIOTENSIN 1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST; BETA ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR BLOCKING AGENT; CANDESARTAN; CARVEDILOL; DIGOXIN; DILTIAZEM; DOFETILIDE; ENCAINIDE; FLECAINIDE; HYDROXYMETHYLGLUTARYL COENZYME A REDUCTASE INHIBITOR; METOPROLOL; PROPAFENONE; SOTALOL; TRANDOLAPRIL; VALSARTAN; VERAPAMIL;

ACUTE HEART INFARCTION; AGE DISTRIBUTION; ARTIFICIAL HEART PACEMAKER; DISEASE ASSOCIATION; HEALTH CARE COST; HEART ATRIUM FIBRILLATION; HEART FAILURE; HEART LEFT VENTRICLE EJECTION FRACTION; HUMAN; MITRAL VALVE REGURGITATION; MORBIDITY; MORTALITY; PREVALENCE; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PROGNOSIS; RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION; REVIEW; SEX DIFFERENCE; SINUS RHYTHM; SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA; TRICUSPID VALVE REGURGITATION; EPIDEMIC; RISK FACTOR; UNITED STATES;

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION; DISEASE OUTBREAKS; HEART FAILURE; HUMANS; PREVALENCE; RISK FACTORS; UNITED STATES;

EID: 66549114225     PISSN: 00097322     EISSN: 15244539     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.821306     Document Type: Review

References (102)

1. Braunwald E. Shattuck Lecture: cardiovascular medicine at the tern of the millennium: triumphs, concerns, and opportunities. N Engl J Med. 1997;337:1360-1369.
2. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: 2005 Update. Dallas, Tex: American Heart Association; 2005.
3. O'Connell JB, Bristow MR. Economic impact of heart failure in the United States: time for a different approach. J Heart Lung Transplant. 1994;13:S107-S112.
4. Koelling TM, Chen RS, Lubwama RN, L'Italien GJ, Eagle KA. The expanding national burden of heart failure in the United States: the influence of heart failure in women. Am Heart J. 2004;147:74-78.
5. Massie BM, Shah NB. Evolving trends in the epidemiologic factors of heart failure: rationale for preventive strategies and comprehensive disease management. Am Heart J. 1997;133:703-712.
6. Heart disease and stroke statistics-2007 update: a report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation. 2007;115:e69-e171.
7. Friberg J, Buch P, Scharling H, Gadsbphioll N, Jensen GB. Rising rates of hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation. Epidemiology. 2003;14: 666-672.
8. Go AS, Hylek EM, Phillips KA, Chang Y, Henault LE, Selby JV, Singer DE. Prevalence of diagnosed atrial fibrillation in adults: national implications for rhythm management and stroke prevention: the Anticoagu-lation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA) Study. JAMA. 2001;285:2370-2375.
9. Miyasaka Y, Barnes ME, Gersh BJ, Cha SS, Bailey KR, Abhayaratna WP, Seward JB, Tsang TS. Secular trends in incidence of atrial fibrillation in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1980 to 2000, and implications on the projections for future prevalence. Circulation. 2006;114:119-125.
10. Mackenzie J. Diseases of the Heart. 3rd ed. London, UK: Oxford Medical Publications; 1914.
11. White PD. Heart Disease. New York, NY: The McMillan Co; 1937.
12. Middlekauff HR, Stevenson WG, Stevenson LW. Prognostic significance of atrial fibrillation in advanced heart failure: a study of 390 patients. Circulation. 1991;84:40-48.
13. Carson PE, Johnson GR, Dunkman WB, Fletcher RD, Farrell L, Cohn JN. The influence of atrial fibrillation on prognosis in mild to moderate heart failure: the V-HeFT Studies: the V-HeFT VA Cooperative Studies Group. Circulation. 1993;87(suppl):VI-102-VI-110.
14. Mahoney P, Kimmel S, DeNofrio D, Wahl P, Loh E. Prognostic significance of atrial fibrillation in patients at a tertiary medical center referred for heart transplantation because of severe heart failure. Am J Cardiol. 1999;83:1544-1547.
15. Senni M, Tribouilloy CM, Rodeheffer RJ, Jacobsen SJ, Evans JM, Bailey KR, Redfield MM. Congestive heart failure in the community: a study of all incident cases in Olmsted County, Minnesota, in 1991. Circulation. 1998;98:2282-2289.
16. Deedwania PC, Singh BN, Ellenbogen K, Fisher S, Fletcher R, Singh SN. Spontaneous conversion and maintenance of sinus rhythm by amiodarone in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation: observations from the Veterans Affairs Congestive Heart Failure Survival Trial of Antiarrhythmic Therapy (CHF-STAT): the Department of Veterans Affairs CHF-STAT Investigators. Circulation. 1998;98:2574-2579.
17. Wang TJ, Larson MG, Levy D, Vasan RS, Leip EP, Wolf PA, D'Agostino RB, Murabito JM, Kannel WB, Benjamin EJ. Temporal relations of atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure and their joint influence on mortality: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 2003; 107:2920-2925.
18. Maisel WH, Stevenson LW. Atrial fibrillation in heart failure: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and rationale for therapy. Am J Cardiol. 2003; 91:2D-8D.
19. Kareti KR, Chiong JR, Hsu SS, Miller AB. Congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation: rhythm versus rate control. J Card Fail. 2005;11: 164-172.
20. Pozzoli M, Cioffi G, Traversi E, Pinna GD, Cobelli F, Tavazzi L. Predictors of primary atrial fibrillation and concomitant clinical and hemodynamic changes in patients with chronic heart failure: a prospective study in 344 patients with baseline sinus rhythm. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1998;32:197-204.
21. Gosselink AT, Crijns HJ, van den Berg MP, van den Broek SA, Hillege H, Landsman ML, Lie KI. Functional capacity before and after cardio-version of atrial fibrillation: a controlled study. Br Heart J. 1994;72: 161-166.
22. Gossage AM, Braxton JA. On auricular fibrillation. QJM. 1913;6: 435-440.
23. Brill IC. Auricular fibrillation with congestive failure and no other evidence of organic heart disease. Am Heart J. 1937;13:175-182.
24. Whipple GH, Sheffield LT, Woodman EG, Theophilis C, Friedman S. Reversible congestive heart failure due to chronic rapid stimulation of the normal heart. Proc N Engl Cardiovasc Soc. 1962;20:39-40.
25. Zupan I, Rakovec P, Budihna N, Brecelj A, Kozelj M. Tachycardia induced cardiomyopathy in dogs: relation between chronic supraventricular and chronic ventricular tachycardia. Int J Cardiol. 1996;56:75-81.
26. Armstrong PW, Stopps TP, Ford SE, de Bold AJ. Rapid ventricular pacing in the dog: pathophysiologic studies of heart failure. Circulation. 1986;74:1075-1084.
27. Wilson JR, Douglas P, Hickey WF, Lanoce V, Ferraro N, Muhammad A, Reichek N. Experimental congestive heart failure produced by rapid ventricular pacing in the dog: cardiac effects. Circulation. 1987;75: 857-867.
28. Zipes DP. Atrial fibrillation: a tachycardia-induced atrial cardiomyopathy. Circulation. 1997;95:562-564.
29. Van Gelder IC, Crijns HJ, Blanksma PK, Landsman ML, Posma JL, Van Den Berg MP, Meijler FL, Lie KI. Time course of hemodynamic changes and improvement of exercise tolerance after cardioversion of chronic atrial fibrillation unassociated with cardiac valve disease. Am J Cardiol. 1993;72:560-566.
30. Shinbane JS, Wood MA, Jensen DN, Ellenbogen KA, Fitzpatrick AP, Scheinman MM. Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy: a review of animal models and clinical studies. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1997;29: 709-715.
31. Luchsinger JA, Steinberg JS. Resolution of cardiomyopathy after ablation of atrial flutter. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1998;32:205-210.
32. Redfield MM, Kay GN, Jenkins LS, Mianulli M, Jensen DN, Ellenbogen KA. Tachycardia-related cardiomyopathy: a common cause of ventricular dysfunction in patients with atrial fibrillation referred for atrioven-tricular ablation. Mayo Clin Proc. 2000;75:790-795.
33. Edner M, Caidahl K, Bergfeldt L, Darpo B, Edvardsson N, Rosenqvist M. Prospective study of left ventricular function after radiofrequency ablation of atrioventricular junction in patients with atrial fibrillation. Br Heart J. 1995;74:261-267.
34. Hohnloser SH, Singh BN. Proarrhythmia with class III antiarrhythmic drugs: definition, electrophysiologic mechanisms, incidence, predisposing factors, and clinical implications. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 1995;920-936.
35. Solti F, Vecsey T, Kékesi V, Juhász-Nagy A. The effect of atrial dilatation on the genesis of atrial arrhythmias. Cardiovasc Res. 1989; 23:882-886.
36. Bode F, Katchman A, Woosley RL, Franz MR. Gadolinium decreases stretch-induced vulnerability to atrial fibrillation. Circulation. 2000;101: 2200-2205.
37. Li D, Fareh S, Leung TK, Nattel S. Promotion of atrial fibrillation by heart failure in dogs: atrial remodeling of a different sort. Circulation. 1999;100:87-95.
38. Guerra JM, Everett TH 4th, Lee KW, Wilson E, Olgin JE. Effects of the gap junction modifier rotigaptide (ZP123) on atrial conduction and vulnerability to atrial fibrillation. Circulation. 2006;114:110-118.
39. Lee KW, Everett TH 4th, Rahmutula D, Guerra JM, Wilson E, Ding C, Olgin JE. Pirfenidone prevents the development of a vulnerable substrate for atrial fibrillation in a canine model of heart failure. Circulation. 2006;114:1703-1712.
40. Beuckelmann DJ, Naäauer M, Erdmann E. Intracellular calcium handling in isolated ventricular myocytes from patients with terminal heart failure. Circulation. 1992;85:1046-1055.
41. 2+ regulatory proteins in the atrial tissue of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999;34:255-263.
42. Cha YM, Dzeja PP, Shen WK, Jahangir A, Hart CY, Terzic A, Redfield MM. Failing atrial myocardium: energetic deficits accompany structural remodeling and electrical instability. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2003;284:H1313-H1320.
43. Stevenson WG, Stevenson LW, Middlekauff HR, Fonarow GC, Hamilton MA, Woo MA, Saxon LA, Natterson PD, Steimle A, Walden JA, Tillisch JH. Improving survival for patients with atrial fibrillation and advanced heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1996;28:1458-1463.
44. Deleted in proof.
45. Keogh AM, Baron DW, Hickie JB. Prognostic guides in patients with idiopathic or ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy assessed for cardiac transplantation. Am J Cardiol. 1990;65:903-908.
46. 45a. The Digitalis Investigation Group. The effect of digoxin on mortality and morbidity in patients with heart failure. N Eng J Med. 1997;336: 525-533.
47. 45b. Crijns HJ, Tjeerdsma G, de Kam PJ, Boomsma F, van Gelder IC, van den Berg MP, van Veldhuisen DJ. Prognostic value of the presence and development of atrial fibrillation in patients with advanced chronic heart failure. Eur Heart J. 2000;21:1238-1245.
48. Kannel WB, Abbott RD, Savage DD, McNamara PM. Epidemiologic features of chronic atrial fibrillation: the Framingham study. N Engl J Med. 1982;306:1018-1022.
49. Crijns HJ, Van den Berg MP, Van Gelder IC, Van Veldhuisen DJ. Management of atrial fibrillation in the setting of heart failure. Eur Heart J. 1997;18(suppl C):C45-C49.
50. Dries DL, Exner DV, Gersh BJ, Domanski MJ, Waclawiw MA, Stevenson LW. Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk for mortality and heart failure progression in patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction: a retrospective analysis of the SOLVD trials: Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1998;32:695-703.
51. Heart and Stroke Statistics Update. Dallas, Tex: American Heart Association; 2001.
52. K0ber L, Swedberg K, McMurray JJ, Pfeffer MA, Velazquez EJ, Diaz R, Maggioni AP, Mareev V, Opolski G, Van de Werf F, Zannad F, Ertl G, Solomon SD, Zelenkofske S, Rouleau JL, Leimberger JD, Califf RM. Previously known and newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation: a major risk indicator after a myocardial infarction complicated by heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction. Eur J Heart Fail. 2006;8:591-598.
53. Swedberg K, Olsson LG, Charlesworth A, Cleland J, Hanrath P, Komajda M, Metra M, Torp-Pedersen C, Poole-Wilson P. Prognostic relevance of atrial fibrillation in patients with chronic heart failure on long-term treatment with beta-blockers: results from COMET. Eur Heart J. 2005;26:1303-1308.
54. Corell P, Gustafsson F, Schou M, Markenvard J, Nielsen T, Hildebrandt P. Prevalence and prognostic significance of atrial fibrillation in outpatients with heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Eur J Heart Fail. 2007;9:258-265.
55. Pedersen OD, Bagger H, Køber L, Torp-Pedersen C, for the TRACE Study Group. Impact of congestive heart failure and left ventricular systolic function on the prognostic significance of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter following acute myocardial infarction. Int J Cardiol. 2005; 100:65-71.
56. Ahmed A, Perry GJ. Incident atrial fibrillation and mortality in older adults with heart failure. Eur J Heart Fail. 2005;7:1118-1121.
57. Khan MN, Jaïs P, Cummings J, Di Biase L, Sanders P, Martin DO, Kautzner J, Hao S, Themistoclakis S, Fanelli R, Potenza D, Massaro R, Wazni O, Schweikert R, Saliba W, Wang P, Al-Ahmad A, Beheiry S, Santarelli P, Starling RC, Dello Russo A, Pelargonio G, Brachmann J, Schibgilla V, Bonso A, Casella M, Raviele A, Hai'ssaguerre M, Natale A, for the PABA-CHF Investigators. Pulmonaryvein isolation for atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2008;359: 1778-1785.
58. Roberts GW, Helboe T, Nielsen CB, Gallus AS, Jensen I, Cosh DG, Eaton VS. Assessment of an age-adjusted warfarin initiation protocol. Ann Pharmacother. 2003;37:799-803.
59. Grogan M, Smith HC, Gersh BJ, Wood DL. Left ventricular dysfunction due to atrial fibrillation in patients initially believed to have idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Cardiol. 1992; 15:1570-1573.
60. Wyse DG, Waldo AL, DiMarco JP, Domanski MJ, Rosenberg Y, Schron EB, Kellen JC, Greene HL, Mickel MC, Dalquist JE, Corley SD, for the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) Investigators. A comparison of rate control and rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2002;347: 1825-1833.
61. Van Gelder IC, Hagens VE, Bosker HA, Kingma JH, Kamp O, Kingma T, Said SA, Darmanata JI, Timmermans AJ, Tijssen JG, Crijns HJ, for the Rate Control Versus Electrical Cardioversion for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Study Group. A comparison of rate control and rhythm control in patients with recurrent persistent atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:1834-1840.
62. Corley SD, Epstein AE, DiMarco JP, Domanski MJ, Geller N, Greene HL, Josephson RA, Kellen JC, Klein RC, Krahn AD, Mickel M, Mitchell LB, Nelson JD, Rosenberg Y, Schron E, Shemanski L, Waldo AL, Wyse DG, for the AFFIRM Investigators. Relationships between sinus rhythm, treatment, and survival in the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-Up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) Study. Circulation. 2004;109:1509-1513.
63. Opolski G, Torbicki A, Kosior DA, Szulc M, Wozakowska-Kaplon B, Kolodziej P, Achremczyk P, for the Investigators of the Polish How to Treat Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Study. Rate control vs rhythm control in patients with nonvalvular persistent atrial fibrillation: the results of the Polish How to Treat Chronic Atrial Fibrillation (HOT CAFE) Study. Chest. 2004; 126:476-486.
64. Carlsson J, Miketic S, Windeler J, Cuneo A, Haun S, Micus S, Walter S, Tebbe U, for the STAF Investigators. Randomized trial of rate-control versus rhythm-control in persistent atrial fibrillation: the Strategies of Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (STAF) study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;41:1690-1696.
65. Hohnloser SH, Kuck KH, Lilienthal J. Rhythm or rate control in atrial fibrillation: Pharmacological Intervention in Atrial Fibrillation (PIAF): a randomised trial. Lancet. 2000;356:1789-1794.
66. Al-Khatib SM, Shaw LK, Lee KL, O'Connor C, Califf RM. Is rhythm control superior to rate control in patients with atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure? Am J Cardiol. 2004;94:797-800.
67. Roy D, Talajic M, Nattel S, Wyse DG, Dorian P, Lee KL, Bourassa MG, Arnold JM, Buxton AE, Camm AJ, Connolly SJ, Dubuc M, Ducharme A, Guerra PG, Hohnloser SH, Lambert J, Le Heuzey JY, O'Hara G, Pedersen OD, Rouleau JL, Singh BN, Stevenson LW, Stevenson WG, Thibault B, Waldo AL, for the Atrial Fibrillation and Congestive Heart Failure Investigators. Rhythm control versus rate control for atrial fibrillation and heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:2667-2677.
68. Humphries KH, Kerr CR, Steinbuch M, Dorian P, for the Canadian Registry of Atrial Fibrillation Investigators. Limitations to antiar-rhythmic drug use in patients with atrial fibrillation. CMAJ. 2004; 171: 741-745.
69. ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation. Circulation. 2006;114:e257-e354.
70. Joglar JA, Acusta AP, Shusterman NH, Ramaswamy K, Kowal RC, Barbera SJ, Hamdan MH, Page RL. Effect of carvedilol on survival and hemodynamics in patients with atrial fibrillation and left ventricular dysfunction: retrospective analysis of the US Carvedilol Heart Failure Trials Program. Am Heart J. 2001:142:498-501.
71. Rich MW, McSherry F, Williford WO, Yusuf S, for the Digitalis Investigation Group. Effect of age on mortality, hospitalizations and response to digoxin in patients with heart failure: the DIG study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;38:806-813.
72. Yusuf S. Digoxin in heart failure: results of the recent Digoxin Investigation Group trial in the context of other treatments for heart failure. Eur Heart J. 1997;18:1685-1688.
73. Farshi R, Kistner D, Sarma JS, Longmate JA, Singh BN. Ventricular rate control in chronic atrial fibrillation during daily activity and programmed exercise: a crossover open-label study of five drug regimens. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999;33:304-310.
74. Echt DS, Liebson PR, Mitchell LB, Peters RW, Obias-Manno D, Barker AH, Arensberg D, Baker A, Friedman L, Greene HL, Huther ML, Richardson DW, the CAST Investigators. Mortality and morbidity in patients receiving encainide, flecainide, or placebo: the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial. N Engl J Med. 1991;324:781-788.
75. Gottlieb SS, Kukin ML, Medina N, Yushak M, Packer M. Comparative hemodynamic effects of procainamide, tocainide, and encainide in severe chronic heart failure. Circulation. 1990;81:860-864.
76. Roy D, Talajic M, Dorian P, Connolly S, Eisenberg MJ, Green M, Kus T, Lambert J, Dubuc M, Gagné P, Nattel S, Thibault B. Amiodarone to prevent recurrence of atrial fibrillation: Canadian Trial of Atrial Fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:913-920.
77. Weinfeld MS, Drazner MH, Stevenson WG, Stevenson LW. Early outcome of initiating amiodarone for atrial fibrillation in advanced heart failure. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2000;19:638-643.
78. Pedersen OD, Bagger H, Keller N, Marchant B, K0ber L, Torp-Pedersen C. Efficacy of dofetilide in the treatment of atrial fibrillation-flutter in patients with reduced left ventricular function: a Danish Investigations of Arrhythmia and Mortality on Dofetilide (DIAMOND) substudy. Circulation. 2001;104:292-296.
79. Burstein B, Nattel S. Atrial fibrosis: mechanisms and clinical relevance in atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;51:802-809.
80. Pedersen OD, Bagger H, Kober L, Torp-Pedersen C. Trandolapril reduces the incidence of atrial fibrillation after acute myocardial infarction in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Circulation. 1999;100:376-380.
81. Madrid AH, Bueno MG, Rebollo JM, Marín I, PenTa G, Bernal E, Rodriguez A, Cano L, Cano JM, Cabeza P, Moro C. Use of irbesartan to maintain sinus rhythm in patients with long-lasting persistent atrial fibrillation: a prospective and randomized study. Circulation. 2002;106: 331-336.
82. Verities E, Tardif JC, Bourassa MG, Racine N, Levesque S, White M, Guerra PG, Ducharme A. Enalapril decreases the incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients with left ventricular dysfunction: insight from the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD) trials. Circulation. 2003;107:2926-2931.
83. Maggioni AP, Latini R, Carson PE, Singh SN, Barlera S, Glazer R, Masson S, Cerè E, Tognoni G, Cohn JN, for the Val-HeFT Investigators. Valsartan reduces the incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure: results from the Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-HeFT). Am Heart J. 2005; 149:548-557.
84. Ducharme A, Swedberg K, Pfeffer MA, Cohen-Solal A, Granger CB, Maggioni AP, Michelson EL, McMurray JJ, Olsson L, Rouleau JL, Young JB, Olofsson B, Puu M, Yusuf S, for the CHARM Investigators. Prevention of atrial fibrillation in patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure by candesartan in the Candesartan in Heart Failure: Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity (CHARM) program. Am Heart J. 2006;152:86-92.
85. Nasr IA, Bouzamondo A, Hulot JS, Dubourg O, Le Heuzey JY, Lechat P. Prevention of atrial fibrillation onset by beta-blocker treatment in heart failure: a meta-analysis. Eur Heart J. 2007;28:457-462.
86. Young-Xu Y, Jabbour S, Goldberg R, Blatt CM, Graboys T, Bilchik B, Ravid S. Usefulness of statin drugs in protecting against atrial fibrillation in patients with coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol. 2003;92: 1379-1383.
87. Shiroshita-Takeshita A, Brundel BJ, Burstein B, Leung TK, Mitamura H, Ogawa S, Nattel S. Effects of simvastatin on the development of the atrial fibrillation substrate in dogs with congestive heart failure. Car-diovasc Res. 2007;74:75-84.
88. Fauchier L, Pierre B, de Labriolle A, Grimard C, Zannad N, Babuty D. Antiarrhythmic effect of statin therapy and atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;51: 828-835.
89. Manolis AG, Katsivas AG, Lazaris EE, Vassilopoulos CV, Louvros NE. Ventricular performance and quality of life in patients who underwent radiofrequency AV junction ablation and permanent pacemaker implantation due to medically refractory atrial tachyarrhythmias. J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 1998;2:71-76.
90. Hsieh MH, Tai CT, Lee SH, Tsao HM, Lin YK, Huang JL, Chan P, Chen YJ, Kuo JY, Tuan TC, Hsu TL, Kong CW, Chang SL, Chen SA. Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation versus atrioventricular junction ablation plus pacing therapy for elderly patients with medically refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2005;16:457-461.
91. O'Keefe JH Jr, Abuissa H, Jones PG, Thompson RC, Bateman TM, McGhie Al, Ramza BM, Steinhaus DM. Effect of chronic right ventricular apical pacing on left ventricular function. Am J Cardiol. 2005;95: 771-773.
92. Cleland JG, Daubert JC, Erdmann E, Freemantle N, Gras D, Kappenberger L, Tavazzi L, for the Cardiac Resynchronization-Heart Failure (CARE-HF) Study Investigators. The effect of cardiac resyn-chronization on morbidity and mortality in heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2005:352:1539-1549.
93. Molhoek SG, Bax JJ, Bleeker GB, Boersma E, van Erven L, Steendijk P, van der Wall EE, Schalij MJ. Comparison of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with sinus rhythm versus chronic atrial fibrillation. Am J Cardiol. 2004;94:1506-1509.
94. Leclercq C, Walker S, Linde C, Clementy J, Marshall AJ, Ritter P, Djiane P, Mabo P, Levy T, Gadler F, Bailleul C, Daubert JC. Comparative effects of permanent biventricular and right-univentricular pacing in heart failure patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. Eur Heart J. 2002;23:1780-1787.
95. Gasparini M, Auricchio A, Regoli F, Fantoni C, Kawabata M, Galimberti P, Pini D, Ceriotti C, Gronda E, Klersy C, Fratini S, Klein HH. Four-year efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy on exercise tolerance and disease progression: the importance of performing atrioventricular junction ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48:734-743.
96. Hoppe UC, Casares JM, Eiskjaer H, Hagemann A, Cleland JG, Freemantle N, Erdmann E. Effect of cardiac resynchronization on the incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients with severe heart failure. Circulation. 2006;114:18-25.
97. HaTssaguerre M, Jaïs P, Shah DC, Takahashi A, Hocini M, Quiniou G, Garrigue S, Le Mouroux A, Le Métayer P, Clémenty J. Spontaneous initiation of atrial fibrillation by ectopic beats originating in the pulmonary veins. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:659-666.
98. Haïssaguerre M, Shah DC, Jaïs P, Hocini M, Yamane T, Deisenhofer I, Chauvin M, Garrigue S, Clementy J. Electrophysiologic breakthroughs from the left atrium to the pulmonary veins. Circulation. 2000;20: 2463-2465.
99. Hsu LF, Jaïs P, Sanders P, Garrigue S, Hocini M, Sacher F, Takahashi Y, Rotter M, Pasquié JL, Scavée C, Bordachar P, Clémenty J, Haïssaguerre M. Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in congestive heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:2373-2383.
100. Gentlesk PJ, Sauer WH, Gerstenfeld EP, Lin D, Dixit S, Zado E, Callans D, Marchlinski FE. Reversal of left ventricular dysfunction following ablation of atrial fibrillation. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2007; 18:9-14.
101. Tondo C, Mantica M, Russo G, Avella A, De Luca L, Pappalardo A, Fagundes RL, Picchio E, Laurenzi F, Piazza V, Bisceglia I. Pulmonary vein vestibule ablation for the control of atrial fibrillation in patients with impaired left ventricular function. Pacing Gin Electrophysiol. 2006;29:962-970.
102. Chen MS, Marrouche NF, Khaykin Y, Gillinov AM, Wazni O, Martin DO, Rossillo A, Verma A, Cummings J, Erciyes D, Saad E, Bhargava M, Bash D, Schweikert R, Burkhardt D, Williams-Andrews M, Perez-Lugones A, Abdul-Karim A, Saliba W, Natale A. Pulmonary vein isolation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with impaired systolic function. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2004;43:1004-1009.