The Incidence and Predictors of Developing Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Inferior ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs in 5% to 18% of patient with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMIs) and 4.5% in patients with STEMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Diagnosis of AF in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients is important because it increases the risk of cardiovascular event and associated with increased in-hospital and long term rates . Atrial ischemia/infarction translates into P Q segment depression or elevation on the electrocardiogram and often associates with atrial tachyarrhythmias .

Side-branch obstruction is one of the adverse effects of PCI the location of the culprit vessel also affects the occurrence of AF in AMI Atrial arteries arise from the right coronary artery (RCA) and circumflex coronary artery (CX) and extend through the atrial myocardium to supply both chambers It is therefore conceivable that PCI of lesions located at the RCA and CX could lead to an accidental atrial branch occlusion .

Atrial myocardial ischemia secondary to atrial branches occlusion (ABO) might lead to mechanical atrial dysfunction, increased electrical vulnerability to atrial arrhythmias, and late structural remodeling .

The sino nodal (SN) artery originates from the proximal portion of the RCA in about 60% of humans Side branch occlusion of the SN artery occurring accidentally during PCI for proximal RCA lesions would provide an opportunity to produces SN dysfunction in humans. Uptill now , there have been no systematic studies concerning SN dysfunction caused by side-branch occlusion of the SN artery during PCI .