Unraveling the Complex Relationship—Atrial Fibrillation and Pulmonary Hypertension

In this article, we underscore the importance of identifying risk factors and monitoring pulmonary hypertension patients for signs of arrhythmias, as this proactive approach can reduce morbidity and mortality.

Atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent among cardiac arrhythmias and is associated with an increased risk of stroke, morbidity, and mortality. Smoking, obesity, hypertension, a sedentary lifestyle, and diabetes mellitus are some of the modifiable risk factors for atrial fibrillation. Recent studies show that the risk of atrial fibrillation is rising in patients with parenchymal and vascular lung disease. Stretching in the atria and pulmonary veins may lead to the onset of atrial fibrillation in cardiac conditions like hypertension, heart failure, and valvular disease. Atrial fibrillation in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) denotes a more advanced disease.

Patients with PH are more susceptible to hemodynamic stress caused by tachycardia and an uncoordinated atrioventricular contraction. Therefore, atrial arrhythmias need to be treated because inadequate control of cardiac arrhythmias may result in poor clinical outcomes and lead to disease progression in PH patients. Aside from being a sign of severe disease, AF can also speed up and exacerbate the condition.