Cardiovascular Diseases Commons^™

Oral Anticoagulation Alone Vs. Combination Therapy In Atrial Fibrillation With Stable Coronary Artery Disease: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Trials, Muhammad Abdullah, Mustafa Bin Tahir, Natalya Ahsan, Michael Moore, Nagaraja Sharma, Salman Muddassir

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Microgravity-Induced Alterations In Left Atrial Hemodynamics And Thrombogenic Risk: Insights From Healthy And Atrial Fibrillation Models, Grace M. Hoeppner

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Background: Microgravity exposure alters cardiovascular loading, yet its impact on left atrial flow dynamics and thrombotic risk remains poorly understood. This study investigates how spaceflight-relevant microgravity-induced changes in cardiac outflow affect left atrial hemodynamics in healthy individuals and patients with atrial fibrillation.

Methods: Patient-specific left atrial models were generated for three healthy individuals and three AF patients. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed using each patient’s baseline mitral outflow waveform and two modified waveforms representing short- and long-duration post-flight cardiac loading changes derived from echocardiographic observations. Hemodynamic metrics included left atrial velocity, time averaged wall shear stress, oscillatory shear …

Can An Atrial Fibrillation Template Comprehensively Address Modifiable Risk Factors For Atrial Fibrillation Patients?, Sharul Saxena, Jyoti Moorjani, Sadhanna Jonna, Firas El Sabbagh

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Use Of Thromboembolic Cultures In Distinguishing Between Infective Endocarditis-Related Stroke Vs. Atrial Fibrillation-Related Stroke, Caroline Cutler, Lauren Abusal, Sally Baker, Thad Golden

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

A Sentinel Case Of Maternal Atrial Fibrillation In Active Labor, Kaitlyn Vu, Zachary Franklin, Shea Mcgrinder, Anthony Royek

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Aortic Occlusion From Dislodged Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device, Margaret Carey, Edward Jerry Cohn

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Short Term Hemodynamic Effects Of Atrial Fibrillation In A Closed-Loop Human Cardiac-Baroreflex System, Oluwasanmi Adeodu, Michelle Gee, Babak Mahmoudi, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, Mayuresh V. Kothare

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains the leading cardiac cause of stroke and AF-related death rate in the United States has been increasing for over twenty years. While the effect of standalone AF on heart rate is well established, there is a lack of clarity on its impact on other critical hemodynamic metrics. This is ostensibly due to interaction with other common comorbidities, especially hypertension. In addition, AF has a complex relationship with the state of the baroreflex. Evidence indicates that baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), the ability of the intrinsic cardiac control system to initiate parasympathetic response, is suppressed during AF. Therefore, a …

Discriminative Accuracy Of Cha2ds2-Vasc Score, And Development Of Predictive Accuracy Model Using Machine Learning For Ischemic Stroke Risk In Cardiac Amyloidosis And Atrial Fibrillation, Waqas Ullah, Abhinav Nair, Eric Warner, Salman Zahid, Mansoor Rahman, Palwasha Khan, Indranee Rajapreyar, Sridhara S. Yaddanapudi, M. Chadi Alraies, Said Ashraf, Jeffery Van Hook, Yegeny Brailovsky

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: CHA2DS2-VASc score in cardiac amyloidosis (CA) with atrial fibrillation (AF) is believed to underestimate ischemic stroke risk, necessitating a better predictive model.

METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Readmission Database (NRD). Outcomes between CA-AF and no-CA-AF were compared using multivariate regression analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs). AutoScore, an interpretable machine learning framework, was used to develop a stroke risk prediction model, and its predictive accuracy was evaluated with an area under the curve (AUC) using the receiver operating characteristic analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 11,860,804 (CA-AF 22,687 (0.19%) and no-CA-AF 11,838,117) patients were identified from 2015 …

Ischemic Stroke In A Patient With Atrial Fibrillation Despite Therapeutic Anticoagulation With Rivaroxaban: A Clinical Reminder, Ridwan Ademola Lawal, Angelica Lan Pham

Research Colloquium

Background: Atrial fibrillation is a well-established risk factor for cardioembolic stroke, with anticoagulation significantly reducing this risk. However, breakthrough ischemic strokes can still occur in anti-coagulated patients, with an estimated annual incidence of 1-2% despite appropriate direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy. These rare but consequential events challenge clinicians to maintain high diagnostic vigilance, especially in patients presenting with atypical or subtle neurological symptoms. Here, we present a case of an embolus in a patient on long-term rivaroxaban therapy, underscoring a vital clinical teaching point: therapeutic anticoagulation does not eliminate stroke risk, and homonymous hemianopsia may be the only presenting feature. …

Small Current, Big Potential: Bridging Mechanistic Insight Of The Sk Channel With Translational Promise, Yang Zheng, Miao Zhang, Nipavan Chiamvimonvat

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia, with a lifetime risk of approximately 1 in 4 for adults aged 40 years and above. Despite advances in clinical management, AF remains a major public health concern. Its burden extends beyond symptoms; it quadruples the risk of heart failure and increases the likelihood of stroke fivefold – strokes that are often more severe and fatal than those unrelated to AF. In the United States alone, AF-associated healthcare costs exceed $26 billion annually, and the cost is projected to grow as the population ages (Ko et al., 2025). Regarding current treatments, …

Hospitalization Trends For Thromboembolic Events In Atrial Fibrillation: A 12-Year National Analysis, Moises Vasquez, Crystal Yan, Natacha Vargas, Samuel Vasquez, Litsa Lambrakos, Alex Velasquez, Jeffrey Goldberger, Raul Mitrani

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants and percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) devices were approved for use in 2010 and 2015, respectively. It is unknown to what extent, if any, these new stroke preventive therapies have impacted hospitalizations for thromboembolic (TE) events.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate temporal trends in AF-related hospitalizations for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), transient ischemic attack (TIA), and systemic embolism (SEE) in the U.S. from 2010 to 2021.

METHODS: Using the National Inpatient Sample, we identified hospitalizations for TE events with comorbid AF. Data were grouped into two periods (2010-2015 and 2016-2021). Linear regression assessed trends in TE frequency. …

Antiarrhythmic Drug Use In Atrial Fibrillation Among Different European Countries – As Determined By A Physician Survey, Espen Fengsrud, Carina Blomström-Lundqvist, A. John Camm, Andreas Goette, Peter R. Kowey, Jose L. Merino, Jonathan P. Piccini, Sanjeev Saksena, James A. Reiffel, Giuseppe Boriani

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: There is limited knowledge of physicians' antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) treatment practices for patients with atrial fibrillation and adherence to guidelines in European countries.

METHODS: An online survey (n = 321) of cardiologists, cardiac electrophysiologists and interventional electrophysiologists was conducted in Germany (DE; n = 83), Italy (IT; n = 95), Sweden (SE; n = 60) and the United Kingdom (UK; n = 83) including 96 questions on treatment practices.

RESULTS: ESC guidelines were the most important non-patient factor influencing treatment practice (55-72 %). However, while amiodarone was frequently (88-93 %) used in heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection …

Outcomes Of Octogenarians, Nonagenarians, And Centenarians That Underwent Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: A Population-Based Study, Tony Elias, Fady Beshara, Daniel Basta, Mena Elmalh, Matthew Ebrahim, Taha Syed, Olga Sarah, Abdallah Hussein

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

An evaluation of that national inpatient sample database to explore the outcomes for patients above the age of seventy who underwent left atrial appendage occlusion.

Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence Risk After Catheter Ablation In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Pongprueth Rujirachun, Phuuwadith Wattanachayakul, Svita Taveeamornrat, Patompong Ungprasert, Nithi Tokavanich, Krit Jongnarangsin

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: The association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) is well-established. However, data on the impact of RA on AF recurrence postcatheter ablation (CA) remain unclear. This current study aimed to assess the impact of RA on AF recurrence after catheter-based pulmonary vein isolation.

METHODS: Potentially eligible studies were identified from Medline and EMBASE databases from inception to December 20, 2023. Eligible study must consist of two cohorts of patients with and without RA who underwent catheter ablation for AF. Pooled risk ratio (RR) and 95% CI were calculated using Dersimonian and Laird's random-effect, …

Interaction Between Dapsone And Warfarin Causes Supratherapeutic Inr, Farhan Hiya, Omar Jureyda, Zachary Harwood, Fernando Lugo, Andrew Niclosi

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Recurrent Atrial Fibrillation In The Setting Of Wild-Type Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis, Saada Baroud, Henry Donsanouphit, Mihai Macelaru, Antonio Santana, Iryna Chyshkevych

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Left Atrial Appendage Morphology Related To Cva Risk In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Lincoln Smith, John-Michael Benson, Jacob Michael Keesee

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Residual Stroke Risk Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Prescribed Oral Anticoagulants: A Patient-Level Meta-Analysis From Combine Af, Linda Johnson, Alexander Benz, Ashkan Shoamanesh, John W Eikelboom, Michael Ezekowitz, Robert Giugliano, Lars Wallentin, Christian Ruff, Renato Lopes, Sanjit Jolly, Richard Whitlock, Christopher Granger, Stuart Connolly, Jeffrey Healey

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Background: Despite oral anticoagulation, patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remain at risk of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism (SE) events. For patients whose residual risk is sufficiently high, additional therapies might be useful to mitigate stroke risk.

Methods and results: Individual patient data from 5 landmark trials testing oral anticoagulation in AF were pooled in A Collaboration Between Multiple Institutions to Better Investigate Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulant Use in AF (COMBINE AF). We calculated the rate of ischemic stroke/SE among oral anticoagulation-treated patients with a CHA₂DS₂-VASc score≥2, across strata of CHA₂DS₂-VASc …

The Athero-Af Study: A Need To Optimize Af Management In An Environment Of Medical Advancement, Michael D. Ezekowitz, Ibrahim Alameh, Mohammed Kamareddine

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

A Rare Case Of Cardiac Angiosarcoma Presenting As Recurrent Atrial Flutter/Fibrillation, Muhammad Umer Riaz Gondal, Luke Rovenstine, Muhammad Asad Hanif, Nayab Mirza, Arjun Basnet, Fawwad Ansari, Muhammad Ibraiz Bilal, Zainab Kiyani, Rohail Azhar, Arun Kundra

Transformative Medicine

Introduction

Cardiac angiosarcomas are extremely rare, with an incidence of only 0.056%. They can have various presentations, including arrhythmias.

Case

A 65-year-old male presented to an outside hospital one year ago with palpitations. Heart rates were 130 bpm, and EKG revealed new-onset atrial flutter with 2-1 block. Apixaban and metoprolol tartrate were started, with plans for a TEE and cardioversion in 4 weeks. He went to the emergency department twice the following month with rapid atrial fibrillation and had TEE and cardioversion twice one week apart. A 2.5 cm mass in the right atrium was noted on the TEE.

The …

Unveiling The Potential: The Role Of Ai-Enhanced Ecg In Cardiovascular Disease Detection, Alisha Vincent

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a widely utilized, non-invasive, cost-effective cardiac test. Its integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) has empowered it to become a potent screening tool and a predictor for various cardiovascular diseases, especially in asymptomatic individuals. Objective: This review investigates the utility of AI-powered ECG in early detection of cardiac conditions, focusing on conditions such as low ejection fraction (LEF), atrial fibrillation (AF), aortic valve stenosis (AVS), and cardiac amyloidosis (CA). Methods: A literature review spanning 2018 to 2024 was conducted, analyzing 10 articles - 3 on AF, 3 on AVS, 3 on LEF, and …

Potential Mechanisms For New Onset Atrial Fibrillation In Covid-19 Patients, Raghav Gupta, Yara Assadi, Shaniece Nicole Lawrence, Erika Jeanie Pitsker, Michael Scott Bickford Jr., Victoria Amber Saniko

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction: This study shows the prevalence of New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in COVID-19 patients and highlights the most prevalent explanatory pathologic theories for the correlation.

Methods: The authors carried out a literature review over PubMed using the keywords “atrial fibrillation” and “long-term COVID.” 48 articles were reviewed. Articles relating to new onset of atrial fibrillation in COVID-19 patients were included while articles posted before 2020, not related to COVID and atrial fibrillation were excluded.

Results: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in COVID patients is often reported to be around 17%, however 44% of patients within Intensive Care units (ICU) have atrial …

In Vivo Cardiac Electrophysiology In Mice: Determination Of Atrial And Ventricular Arrhythmic Substrates, Jose Alberto Navarro-Garcia, Florian Bruns, Oliver M Moore, Marcel A Tekook, Dobromir Dobrev, Christina Y Miyake, Xander H T Wehrens

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cardiac arrhythmias are a common cardiac condition that might lead to fatal outcomes. A better understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of arrhythmia mechanisms is necessary for the development of better treatment modalities. To aid these efforts, various mouse models have been developed for studying cardiac arrhythmias. Both genetic and surgical mouse models are commonly used to assess the incidence and mechanisms of arrhythmias. Since spontaneous arrhythmias are uncommon in healthy young mice, intracardiac programmed electrical stimulation (PES) can be performed to assess the susceptibility to pacing-induced arrhythmias and uncover the possible presence of a proarrhythmogenic substrate. This procedure …

Knock-Knock An Unwelcome Shock With Recurrence Of Atrial Fibrillation With Rapid Ventricular Response After Av Node/Junction Ablation, Rebecca Schuyler, Yuhning Hu

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Flecainide And Ibutilide Alone And In Combination To Terminate And Prevent Recurrence Of Atrial Fibrillation, Alexander Burashnikov, José M. Di Diego, Bence Patocskai, Debra S. Echt, Luiz Belardinelli, Charles Antzelevitch

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: There is a need for improved approaches to rhythm control therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF).

METHODS: The effectiveness of flecainide (1.5 µmol/L) and ibutilide (20 nmol/L), alone and in combination, to cardiovert and prevent AF recurrence was studied in canine-isolated coronary-perfused right atrioventricular preparations. We also examined the safety of the combination of flecainide (1.5 µmol/L) and ibutilide (50 nmol/L) using canine left ventricular wedge preparations.

RESULTS: Sustained AF (>1 hour) was inducible in 100%, 60%, 20%, and 0% of atria in the presence of acetylcholine alone, acetylcholine+ibutilide, acetylcholine+flecainide, and acetylcholine+ibutilide+flecainide, respectively. When used alone, flecainide and ibutilide …

Usp38 Exacerbates Atrial Inflammation, Fibrosis, And Susceptibility To Atrial Fibrillation After Myocardial Infarction In Mice, Yang Gong, Tingting Yu, Wei Shuai, Tao Chen, Jingjing Zhang, He Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF) after myocardial infarction (MI). The role of USP38, a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease family, on MI-induced atrial inflammation, fibrosis, and associated AF is unclear.

METHODS: In this study, we surgically constructed a mouse MI model using USP38 cardiac conditional knockout (USP38-CKO) and cardiac-specific overexpression (USP38-TG) mice and applied biochemical, histological, electrophysiological characterization and molecular biology to investigate the effects of USP38 on atrial inflammation, fibrosis, and AF and its mechanisms.

RESULTS: Our results revealed that USP38-CKO attenuates atrial inflammation, thereby ameliorating fibrosis, and abnormal electrophysiologic properties, …

A Pilot Study Evaluating The Role Of Ivabradine For Rate Control In Patients With Rheumatic Atrial Fibrillation, Arpita Katheria, Aditya Kapoor, Ankit Sahu, Kamlesh Raut, Harshit Khare, Roopali Khanna, Sudeep Kumar, Naveen Garg, Satyendra Tewari

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: Ivabradine may have a role in rate control of atrial fibrillation (AF) due to effects on HCN channels in AV node. We studied role of Ivabradine in rate control of rheumatic AF.

METHODS: 80 patients, rheumatic AF, HR > 100 bpm (age 47 ± 11 yrs, AF duration 6.8 ± 2.9 years, rate 131 ± 16 bpm) on maximally tolerated ββ or CCB's, randomized to Ivabradine or escalated ββ/CCB. Ivabradine started @ 2.5 mg BD; increased to 5 mg BD if inadequate response at 1 week (failure to decrease HR < 10% vs baseline). After Holter at 1 month, dose escalated to 7.5 mg BD if needed.

RESULTS: Ivabradine resulted in significantly lower HR (81 ± 10 …

Incidence, Risk Score Performance, And In-Hospital Outcomes Of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery, Matthew W Segar, Alexander Marzec, Mehdi Razavi, Karen Mullins, Joanna E Molina-Razavi, Subhasis Chatterjee, Alexis E Shafii, Jennifer R Cozart, Marc R Moon, Abdi Rasekh, Mohammad Saeed

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

BACKGROUND: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) frequently complicates cardiac surgery. Predicting POAF can guide interventions to prevent its onset. This study assessed the incidence, risk factors, and related adverse outcomes of POAF after cardiac surgery.

METHODS: A cohort of 1,606 patients undergoing cardiac surgery at a tertiary referral center was analyzed. Postoperative AF was defined based on the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' criteria: AF/atrial flutter after operating room exit that either lasted longer than 1 hour or required medical or procedural intervention. Risk factors for POAF were evaluated, and the performance of established risk scores (POAF, HATCH, COM-AF, CHA2DS2-VASc, and Society …

A Case Of Combined Pulmonary Vein Isolation (Pvi) And Watchman Implant Through Hepatic Vein In A Patient With Interrupted Inferior Vena Cava (Ivc), Sameh Girgis, Negar Niknam, Zabeer Bhatti, Jalal Mohsin, Ahmed Kamel Abdel Aal, Ramesh Hariharan, Khashayar Hematpour

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This case report describes a successful procedure involving pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and left atrial appendage (LAA) closure with a watchman device in a 78-year-old male with atrial fibrillation and an interrupted inferior vena cava. Due to the vascular anomaly, a transhepatic approach was used, which proved successful.

Meta-Analysis Of The Association Between Atrial Fibrillation, Hypertension, Sleep-Disordered Breathing, And Wake-Up Stroke, Jin Zhou, Jing Xu, Aijuan Cheng, Yimiti Kadier, Xiaoli Liang, Maimaitijiang Mutailipu, Shan Sun

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of atrial fibrillation, circadian fluctuation in blood pressure, and oxygen desaturation at night is likely associated with the pathophysiology of wake-up stroke. Whether patients who experience wake-up strokes are candidates for thrombolysis treatment is a serious dilemma. The aim is to investigate the association between risk factors and wake-up stroke and to determine variations that are associated with the pathophysiology of wake-up stroke.

METHODS: Five major electronic databases were searched using a fitted search strategy to identify relevant studies. Odds ratios with 95% CIs were used to calculate estimates, and the Quality Assessment for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 …