Atrial fibrillation in athletes: From epidemiology to treatment in the novel oral anticoagulants era

Journal of cardiology
Giuseppe D SannaGuido Parodi

Abstract

It has been documented that physical activity may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in active or former competitive athletes. Different mechanisms are involved and responsible for the development of the arrhythmia, such as structural changes of the left atrium, influences of autonomic nervous system with enhanced vagal tone, and the use of prohibited substances with arrhythmogenic effects. Difficulties in the management of AF in athletes may derive from the low compliance to antiarrhythmic therapy and the selection of the most appropriate strategy for thromboembolic risk prevention. In fact, the majority of athletes are young, healthy, without any particular risk factor, except for arterial hypertension which can be the only risk factor in the evaluation of antithrombotic therapy with the CHA2DS2-VASc score. The integration of actual score with serum biomarkers and other clinical factors may be useful to identify patients who will benefit the most from anticoagulation. Nowadays the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) may represent a valid alternative to vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in the prevention of ischemic stroke due to AF with a better safety profile.

References

Oct 1, 1996·Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology·P Coumel
Jun 24, 1998·BMJ : British Medical Journal·J KarjalainenM Viitasalo
Sep 3, 1998·The New England Journal of Medicine·M HaïssaguerreJ Clémenty
Feb 28, 2002·European Heart Journal·L MontG Sanz
Mar 26, 2003·Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy = Biomédecine & Pharmacothérapie·Takashi AshiharaMakoto Ito
Dec 3, 2004·The New England Journal of Medicine·Paolo AlboniGermano Gaggioli
Jun 21, 2005·International Journal of Cardiology·Roberto ElosuaJaume Marrugat
Aug 16, 2005·Journal of the American College of Cardiology·Antonio PellicciaFranco Culasso
Feb 22, 2007·British Journal of Sports Medicine·M Mitchell Lindsay, Francis G Dunn
Mar 6, 2007·International Journal of Cardiology·Dennis H LauPrashanthan Sanders
Dec 11, 2007·European Heart Journal·Sylvette BaldesbergerChristine H Attenhofer Jost
Jan 8, 2008·Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology·Lluís MontUNKNOWN GIRAFA (Grup Integrat de Recerca en Fibril-lació Auricular) Investigators
Apr 9, 2008·Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology·Lluis MolinaRoberto Elosua
Nov 8, 2008·Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology·Lluís MontJosep Brugada
Dec 6, 2008·Journal of the American College of Cardiology·Domenico CorradoGaetano Thiene
May 26, 2009·The American Journal of Cardiology·Anthony AizerChristine M Albert
Nov 20, 2009·Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology·Naiara CalvoJosep Brugada
Jan 13, 2010·European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation : Official Journal of the European Society of Cardiology, Working Groups on Epidemiology & Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology·Jostein GrimsmoHarald Arnesen
Sep 30, 2010·Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology·A John CammUNKNOWN ESC Committee for Practice Guidelines
Nov 19, 2010·Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise·Luciana Diniz Nagem Janot De MatosLuciene Ferreira Azevedo
Apr 14, 2011·Circulation. Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes·Brendan M EverettChristine M Albert
Aug 26, 2011·The American Journal of Cardiology·Matthias WilhelmHugo Saner
May 31, 2012·Acta Cardiologica·Frank Van BuurenChristoph Langer
Oct 17, 2012·Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : Official Publication of the American Society of Echocardiography·Talhat AzemiDavid I Silverman
Apr 24, 2013·European Journal of Preventive Cardiology·Matthias Wilhelm
Jul 26, 2013·European Heart Journal·Andre La Gerche, Christian Marc Schmied
Dec 19, 2013·Circulation·Sumeet S ChughChristopher J L Murray
Aug 30, 2014·The American Journal of Cardiology·Marius MyrstadAnette H Ranhoff
Sep 4, 2014·European Heart Journal·Riccardo CappatoStefan H Hohnloser
Dec 3, 2014·International Journal of Cardiology·Chun Shing KwokYoon K Loke
Jan 22, 2015·BMC Public Health·Alistair WoodwardShanthi Ameratunga
Feb 20, 2015·Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology·Jan Beyer-WestendorfNorbert Weiss
Mar 11, 2015·International Journal of Cardiology·Marius MyrstadAnette Hylen Ranhoff
Mar 17, 2015·Journal of the American College of Cardiology·Gregory Y H LipTorben Bjerregaard Larsen
May 16, 2015·European Heart Journal·Riccardo CappatoUNKNOWN VENTURE-AF Investigators

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 21, 2019·JAMA Cardiology·Giuseppe D Sanna, Guido Parodi
May 21, 2020·Minerva cardioangiologica·Silvio RomanoLuigi Sciarra

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Atrial Filbrillation

Atrial fibrillation refers to the abnormal heart rhythm characterized by rapid and irregular beating of the atria. Here is the latest research.

Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Therapies

Anti-arrhythmic drugs are used to prevent abnormal heart rhythms. These medications are used in conditions including, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation and atrial fibrillation. Discover the latest research on anti-arrhythmic drug therapies here.

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly due to stroke and thromboembolism. Here is the latest research.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmias are abnormalities in heart rhythms, which can be either too fast or too slow. They can result from abnormalities of the initiation of an impulse or impulse conduction or a combination of both. Here is the latest research on arrhythmias.

Blood Clotting Disorders

Thrombophilia includes conditions with increased tendency for excessive blood clotting. Blood clotting occurs when the body has insufficient amounts of specialized proteins that make blood clot and stop bleeding. Here is the latest research on blood clotting disorders.

Antiarrhythmic Agents: Mechanisms of Action

Understanding the mechanism of action of antiarrhythmic agents is essential in developing new medications as treatment of cardiac arrhythmias is currently limited by the reduced availability of safe and effective drugs. Discover the latest research on Antiarrhythmic Agents: Mechanism of Action here.