- Section 16 Genetics of cardiovascular diseases
- Section 17 Congenital heart disease in children and adults
- Section 18 Prevention in cardiovascular disease and rehabilitation
- Section 19 Diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome
- Section 20 Heart and the brain
- Section 21 Cardiovascular problems in chronic kidney disease
- Section 22 Erectile dysfunction
- Section 23 Lung disease
- Section 24 Gastrointestinal disease
- Section 25 Rheumatoid arthritis and the heart
- Section 26 Rheumatic heart disease
- Section 27 Cardio-oncology
- Section 28 HIV
- Section 29 Acute coronary syndromes
- Section 30 Takotsubo syndrome
- Section 31 Chronic ischaemic heart disease
- Section 32 Myocardial disease
- Section 33 Pericardial disease
- Section 34 Tumours of the heart
- Section 35 Valvular heart disease
- Section 36 Infective endocarditis
- Section 37 Heart failure
- Section 38 Bradycardia
- Section 39 Syncope
- Section 40 Supraventricular tachycardias
- Section 41 Atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.1 Introduction
- Chapter 41.2 Epidemiology
- Chapter 41.3 Mechanisms of atrial fibrillation: electrophysiological basis
- Chapter 41.4 Mechanisms of atrial fibrillation: genetics
- Chapter 41.5 Mechanisms of atrial remodelling
- Chapter 41.6 Types of atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.7 Silent atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.8 Atrial fibrillation progression and prevention
- Chapter 41.9 Clinical investigation of patients presenting with atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.10 Management of acute presentation with atrial fibrillation - rate control
- Chapter 41.11 Restoration of sinus rhythm: direct current cardioversion
- Chapter 41.12 Pharmacological cardioversion for atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.13 Rate control: medical therapy
- Chapter 41.14 Rate control: ablation and device therapy (ablate and pace)
- Chapter 41.15 Rhythm control: antiarrhythmic drugs
- Chapter 41.16 Development of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation and ablation strategies
- Chapter 41.17 Rhythm control: surgical ablation
- Chapter 41.18 Rate versus rhythm control therapy for atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.19 Follow-up of patients with atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.20 Stroke risk factors and risk stratification in atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.21 Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.22 Bleeding risk in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.23 Thromboprophylaxis in atrial fibrillation: device therapy and surgical techniques
- Chapter 41.24 Classification and mechanisms of atrial flutter
- Chapter 41.25 Atrial flutter: clinical presentation
- Chapter 41.26 Atrial flutter: management
- Chapter 41.27 Atrial fibrillation and heart failure
- Chapter 41.28 Atrial fibrillation and athletes
- Chapter 41.29 Atrial fibrillation in the elderly
- Chapter 41.30 Atrial fibrillation after cardiopulmonary surgery
- Chapter 41.31 Atrial fibrillation and hypertension
- Chapter 41.32 Atrial fibrillation and hyperthyroidism
- Chapter 41.33 Atrial fibrillation and obesity
- Chapter 41.34 Atrial fibrillation and sleep apnoea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Chapter 41.35 Atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease
- Chapter 41.36 Atrial fibrillation in pregnancy
- Chapter 41.37 Atrial fibrillation associated with adult congenital heart disease
- Chapter 41.38 Integrated care management in atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.39 Patient education
- Section 42 Ventricular tachycardia
- Section 43 Sudden cardiac death
- Section 44 Systemic hypertension
Silent atrial fibrillation
- Chapter:
- Silent atrial fibrillation
- Author(s):
Ben Freedman
and Nicole Lowres
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780198784906.003.0500
Silent or asymptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) is common. It can occur in patients with symptomatic AF, where silent episodes often outweigh symptomatic episodes. It can also occur in patients who experience no symptoms at all, or who have non-specific AF symptoms. Silent AF may present with a stroke (approximately 9% of all ischaemic strokes) or with heart failure due to tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy which responds to control of ventricular rate. Silent AF is often found during routine clinical examination by pulse palpation or routine electrocardiogram (ECG), or with implanted cardiac electronic devices which continuously sense atrial activity. Management of implanted device-detected AF is debated as the stroke risk is lower than symptomatic AF, particularly when episodes are brief. Silent AF may be detected by opportunistic screening, either at a single time point or by multiple patient-initiated recordings over 2 weeks. AF screening may utilize pulse palpation, photoplethysmography, modified sphygmomanometers, or handheld ECG devices. Because an ECG is required for a diagnosis, handheld ECG recorders with automated AF detection are now recommended. Screen-detected AF is not low risk and requires antithrombotic therapy. Screening for AF to prevent stroke has been shown to be cost-effective.
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- Section 16 Genetics of cardiovascular diseases
- Section 17 Congenital heart disease in children and adults
- Section 18 Prevention in cardiovascular disease and rehabilitation
- Section 19 Diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome
- Section 20 Heart and the brain
- Section 21 Cardiovascular problems in chronic kidney disease
- Section 22 Erectile dysfunction
- Section 23 Lung disease
- Section 24 Gastrointestinal disease
- Section 25 Rheumatoid arthritis and the heart
- Section 26 Rheumatic heart disease
- Section 27 Cardio-oncology
- Section 28 HIV
- Section 29 Acute coronary syndromes
- Section 30 Takotsubo syndrome
- Section 31 Chronic ischaemic heart disease
- Section 32 Myocardial disease
- Section 33 Pericardial disease
- Section 34 Tumours of the heart
- Section 35 Valvular heart disease
- Section 36 Infective endocarditis
- Section 37 Heart failure
- Section 38 Bradycardia
- Section 39 Syncope
- Section 40 Supraventricular tachycardias
- Section 41 Atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.1 Introduction
- Chapter 41.2 Epidemiology
- Chapter 41.3 Mechanisms of atrial fibrillation: electrophysiological basis
- Chapter 41.4 Mechanisms of atrial fibrillation: genetics
- Chapter 41.5 Mechanisms of atrial remodelling
- Chapter 41.6 Types of atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.7 Silent atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.8 Atrial fibrillation progression and prevention
- Chapter 41.9 Clinical investigation of patients presenting with atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.10 Management of acute presentation with atrial fibrillation - rate control
- Chapter 41.11 Restoration of sinus rhythm: direct current cardioversion
- Chapter 41.12 Pharmacological cardioversion for atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.13 Rate control: medical therapy
- Chapter 41.14 Rate control: ablation and device therapy (ablate and pace)
- Chapter 41.15 Rhythm control: antiarrhythmic drugs
- Chapter 41.16 Development of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation and ablation strategies
- Chapter 41.17 Rhythm control: surgical ablation
- Chapter 41.18 Rate versus rhythm control therapy for atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.19 Follow-up of patients with atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.20 Stroke risk factors and risk stratification in atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.21 Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.22 Bleeding risk in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.23 Thromboprophylaxis in atrial fibrillation: device therapy and surgical techniques
- Chapter 41.24 Classification and mechanisms of atrial flutter
- Chapter 41.25 Atrial flutter: clinical presentation
- Chapter 41.26 Atrial flutter: management
- Chapter 41.27 Atrial fibrillation and heart failure
- Chapter 41.28 Atrial fibrillation and athletes
- Chapter 41.29 Atrial fibrillation in the elderly
- Chapter 41.30 Atrial fibrillation after cardiopulmonary surgery
- Chapter 41.31 Atrial fibrillation and hypertension
- Chapter 41.32 Atrial fibrillation and hyperthyroidism
- Chapter 41.33 Atrial fibrillation and obesity
- Chapter 41.34 Atrial fibrillation and sleep apnoea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Chapter 41.35 Atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease
- Chapter 41.36 Atrial fibrillation in pregnancy
- Chapter 41.37 Atrial fibrillation associated with adult congenital heart disease
- Chapter 41.38 Integrated care management in atrial fibrillation
- Chapter 41.39 Patient education
- Section 42 Ventricular tachycardia
- Section 43 Sudden cardiac death
- Section 44 Systemic hypertension