Platelet activation after radiofrequency ablation in atrial fibrillation: Is there any clinical implication?

摘要

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the general population and in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. AF is a self-perpetuating arrhythmia that is facilitated by structural and functional changes elicited by atrial high-rate activity. The shortening of the atrial effective refractory period is the earliest functional change that characterizes atrial remodeling. As the prevalence of AF increases with advancing age, its social impact is becoming very relevant because of the associated high risk of cardiovascular events and increased morbidity and mortality. AF is complicated by stroke of thromboembolic origin, which is thought to stem from thrombus formation, generated in the left atrial appendage with ensuing embolism in the cerebral circulation. However, AF patients may also experience cardiovascular events that occur as a consequence of the atherosclerotic disease. Thus, AF is typically associated with different risk factors of atherothrombosis, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia and with systemic signs of atherosclerosis. This has been documented in the thoracic aorta and, more recently, in the peripheral circulation.