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Cardiovascular Research 2006 72(1):7-8; doi:10.1016/j.cardiores.2006.07.023
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Copyright © 2006, European Society of Cardiology

Atrial fibrillation: Is NO an answer for refractoriness?

Isabelle Baró*

l'institut du thorax, Inserm U533, Faculté de Médecine, 1 rue G. Veil, 44035 Nantes cedex, France

* Tel.: +33 240 41 28 48; fax: +33 240 41 29 50. Email address: isabelle.baro@nantes.inserm.fr

Received 19 July 2006; accepted 25 July 2006

The first 10% of the full text of this article appears below.

See article by Núñez et al. [11] (pages 80–89) in this issue.

The progressive nature of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been attributed to alteration in the electrophysiological properties of the atrial myocardium. As a net effect, a shortening in the refractory period contributes to the substrate, allowing ectopic complex arising and re-entry [1]. Transmembrane ion channel activity determines atrial action potential (AP) shape. Whereas Na+ and Ca2+ channels are responsible for depolarizing currents, K+ channels are responsible for repolarizing currents and therefore shortening of the AP duration. The refractory period is directly correlated to . . . [Full Text of this Article]


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