Mechanisms of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation

Jose Maria Castellano; Jason Chinitz; Jonathan Willner; Valentin Fuster

doi:10.1016/j.ccep.2013.10.007

Mechanisms of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation

Card Electrophysiol Clin. 2014 Mar;6(1):5-15. doi: 10.1016/j.ccep.2013.10.007.

Authors

Jose Maria Castellano¹, Jason Chinitz², Jonathan Willner², Valentin Fuster³

Affiliations

¹ The Mount Sinai Medical Center, Cardiovascular Institute, One Gustave Levy Place, Box 1030, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA; National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), Melchor Fernandez Almagro 3, Madrid 28029, Spain. Electronic address: jose.castellano@mountsinai.org.
² The Mount Sinai Medical Center, Cardiovascular Institute, One Gustave Levy Place, Box 1030, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
³ The Mount Sinai Medical Center, Cardiovascular Institute, One Gustave Levy Place, Box 1030, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA; National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), Melchor Fernandez Almagro 3, Madrid 28029, Spain.

PMID: 27063817
DOI: 10.1016/j.ccep.2013.10.007

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with a high risk of stroke and thromboembolism. Increasing evidence suggests that the thrombogenic tendency inherent to atrial fibrillation is related to several underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, including reduced flow in the left atrium, changes in vessel walls, and changes in blood constituents. This article reviews the mechanisms of stroke, available risk stratification tools and therapies available for prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Cardiac arrhythmia; Stroke; Thromboembolism.

Publication types

Review