Inflammation and Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Accumulating evidence indicates a link between inflammation and AF, and important advances in understanding mechanisms of AF are arising from studies of the critical components involved in the modulation of the immunoinflammatory balance within the atrium. However, molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Indeed, although preclinical and clinical studies suggest that chronic inflammation may promote development of AF, the roles of inflammation in the process are complex and incompletely understood. The purpose of this review is to briefly highlight current evidence on relationships between inflammation and AF, and to discuss possible mechanisms of development of AF and/or possible therapeutic approaches targeting components of the inflammatory response.