Abstract
A case is presented of a man who had 5 hours of atrial fibrillation followed by spontaneous conversion and maintained sinus rhythm that persisted as shown by surface electrocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography performed 24 hours after electrocardiographic conversion documented an atrial fibrillation pattern within the left atrial appendage, with a normal sinus Doppler pattern in the body of the left atrium. This apparent regional discrepancy in atrial function may partially explain the increased risk for "late" thromboembolism among patients with atrial fibrillation who appear to be successfully converted with sustained sinus rhythm.
MeSH terms
-
Aged
-
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / administration & dosage
-
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use
-
Atrial Appendage* / diagnostic imaging
-
Atrial Fibrillation / complications*
-
Atrial Fibrillation / diagnostic imaging
-
Atrial Fibrillation / drug therapy
-
Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
-
Blood Flow Velocity
-
Echocardiography, Doppler, Color
-
Echocardiography, Transesophageal
-
Electrocardiography
-
Heart Diseases / diagnostic imaging
-
Heart Diseases / etiology*
-
Heart Diseases / physiopathology
-
Heart Diseases / prevention & control
-
Heart Rate
-
Humans
-
Injections, Intravenous
-
Male
-
Procainamide / administration & dosage
-
Procainamide / therapeutic use
-
Thromboembolism / diagnostic imaging
-
Thromboembolism / etiology*
-
Thromboembolism / physiopathology
-
Thromboembolism / prevention & control
Substances
-
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
-
Procainamide