Electro-mechanical heart remodelling and atrial fibrillation development in patients with coronary heart disease and arterial hypertension
To assess the effects of electro-mechanical heart remodelling on atrial fibrillation development, 190 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), arterial hypertension (AH), and recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) were examined (the main group). The comparison group included 181 patients with CHD and AH, but no AF. The patients underwent standard clinical examination, standard 12-lead electrocardiography with the assessment of time and dispersion indices of atrioventricular conductivity, echocardiography, and Doppler echocardiography with heart remodelling type analysis. The findings were analysed by AF presence and paroxysm frequency. The main group demonstrated an increase in end-diastolic volumes of left atrium and ventricle, as well as in dispersion indices of atrial and atrioventricular conductivity. The prevalence of concentric hypertrophy, left ventricular dilatation, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in men and women from the main group was higher than in their peers from the comparison group. The results obtained could be used for differential treatment and prevention of cardiovascular events in patients with CHD, AH, and recurrent AF.