Atrial fibrillation: genetic factors involved

Contrary to what some clinicians believe, a review of the literature over the past 25 years recently concluded that genetic factors contribute significantly to the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. This literature review was conducted by several cardiologists, experts in the disease and genetics, under the direction of Dr. K.^R Jason D. Roberts, a cardiac electrophysiologist at McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, and D.^R Rafik Tadros, cardiologist at the Montreal Heart Institute, associate professor at the University of Montreal and Canada Research Chair in Translational Cardiovascular Genetics.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with an increased risk of heart failure, stroke and dementia. It affects more than one percent of the population. Until now, it has not traditionally been considered an inherited form of cardiovascular disease.

The findings of this study were published in the journal Canadian Journal of Cardiology prompted the authors to recommend that patients with early-onset atrial fibrillation undergo clinical screening to rule out the risks of ventricular cardiomyopathy and cardiac channelopathy, two syndromes caused by genetic variants that can put patients’ lives at risk. Ventricular cardiomyopathy alters the structure of the left or right ventricle, while cardiac channelopathy is usually responsible for the development of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death in patients who otherwise have a structurally normal heart. If one of these two syndromes is suspected, the authors recommend appropriate genetic testing.

For D^R Tadros: “Recognition that atrial fibrillation can be caused by genetic factors will hopefully encourage clinicians to perform a thorough clinical assessment, including family history, especially when atrial fibrillation is diagnosed at a young age. This will ultimately reduce the serious complications and mortality associated with these heart diseases.

However, it is important to note that the genetic diseases mentioned above only cause a small proportion of cases of atrial fibrillation. In most cases, with proper treatment, it remains a harmless arrhythmia.