Silent atrial fibrillation: epidemiology, diagnosis, and clinical impact

Abstract

Silent or subclinical asymptomatic atrial fibrillation (SAF) has currently gained wide interest in the epidemiologic, neurologic, and cardiovascular communities. It is well known that the electrophysiological and mechanical effects of symptomatic and silent atrial fibrillation (AF) are the same. It is probable that because "AF begets AF," progression from paroxysmal to persistent or permanent AF might be more rapid in patients with long-term unrecognized and untreated SAF, because no treatment is sought by or provided to such patients. Moreover, SAF is common and has significant clinical implications. The clinical consequences of SAF, which include emboli (silent or symptomatic), heart failure, and early mortality, are of paramount importance.Consequently, SAF should be considered in estimating the prevalence of the disease and its impact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. Several diagnostic methods of arrhythmia

Preserved right ventricular function but increased right atrial contractile demand in altitude-induced pulmonary hypertension

“…Several cardiovascular conditions have profound impact on RA active emptying function and consequently compromise functional reserve. Examples include non-altitude-related pulmonary artery hypertension [23] and atrial fibrillation [24], diseases which even might be clinically silent [25]. Furthermore, aging has been associated with an increase of right atrial active emptying fraction reducing RA contractile reserve [23].…”

Detection of Atrial Fibrillation in ECG Hand-held Devices Using a Random Forest Classifier

“…arrhythmia is one of the main public health problems because of not only its prevalence but also its complications and costs. Symptomatic AF patients are more probable to be diagnosed and treated, whereas asymptomatic patients (silent AF) are more prone to serious complications caused by AF such as ischemia, stroke, or early mortality [3]. Therefore, early detection of AF is crucial for effective treatment, improving the clinical outcomes, and decreasing the costs.…”

Portable out‐of‐hospital electrocardiography: A review of current technologies

“…While prevalence of these episodic rhythm disturbances is low, early treatment has a high immediate impact in preventing mortality and morbidity. This is in contrast to hypertension or diabetes, which are high‐prevalence but low immediate impact situations. External auto‐triggered loop recorder (ELR) is another option to screen patients with recurrence of syncope or palpitations.…”

“…While symptoms such as palpitations, dyspnea, or syncope are useful to screen these conditions, availability of home-based rhythm recognition devices can be useful in prioritizing visits to the emergency room. While prevalence of these episodic rhythm disturbances is low, early treatment has a high immediate impact in preventing mortality and morbidity 32. This is in contrast to hypertension or diabetes, which are high-prevalence but low immediate impact situations.…”