Cardiology Letters 2023, 32(6):380-384

Atrial high rate episodes in clinical practice

Hanák P

Oddelenie arytmií a kardiostimulácie, Národný ústav srdcových a cievnych chorôb, a. s., Bratislava, Slovenská republika

The detection of atrial high rate episodes (AHREs) as well as subclinical atrial fibrillation (SCAF) using cardiac implantable electronic devices increases proportionally to the length of the patients' follow-up period. The occurrence of AHREs nowadays is shown in massively increasing events during routine arrhythmologic follow ups. Almost 35% of patients with an implanted pacemaker have at least one AHRE over a period of 2.5 years. The significance and risk of given episodes is constantly being explored and evolving over time. According to current knowledge, we know that AHREs represent not only the risk of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, but also a separate independent risk of stroke, and are also associated with an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A holistic approach to AHREs emphasizes the importance of the fibrotic process as the main triggering cause of the so-called fibrotic atrial cardiomyopathy and associated thromboembolism.

Keywords: cardiac implantable electronic device; atrial high rate episodes; atrial fibrillation; atrial cardiomyopathy; thromboembolism

Published: June 1, 2023  Show citation