November 12, 2019
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the name given to a condition in which the electrical activity of upper chambers of the heart (atria) malfunctions, causing an irregular and often rapid heart rate. The condition can cause discomfort in patients and increases their risk of stroke and heart failure. AF is common, but why it happens in people is not fully understood, which is why current treatments are not fully effective.
Researchers from Ben-Gurion University may be about to change this though. They have discovered a genetic mutation that causes nighttime AF following a genetic study of three generations of one family. In this family AF was inherited, almost half of family members has the condition, leading the team to discover the autosomal dominant genetic mutation.
The genetic mutation causes excessive activity of ion channels in the hearts’ atria at night, which in turn causes the irregular heart rate of nighttime AF. This knowledge will now enable researchers to develop medications that will treat nighttime AF in patients with the genetic mutation.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
Read more: http://ow.ly/D37B50x5h0G
