Academic Editor: Ioanna-Katerina Aggeli
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition in which the electrical signals in the
upper heart chambers (atria) are rapid and disorganized, producing an irregular
and chaotical heartbeat. The sinus rhythm should be between 60 to 100 bpm at
rest, while the heart rhythm in AF patients may be over 140 bpm. Either
structural and electro-mechanical remodeling of the atrial tissue underlies the
perpetuation and evolution of AF from the paroxysmal to persistent form.
Unravelling the different pathological pathways involved in AF that lead to
arrhythmogenesis and atrial remodeling is needed to discovery new and effective
therapeutic approaches. A variety of drugs are available to convert and maintain
the AF patient in a normal sinus rhythm; however, these strategies have limited
chances of success or fail with the progression of AF to more
persistent/permanent forms. Consequently, it is necessary to find new therapeutic
targets for the relief of persistent or chronic AF forms, as well as the
development of new and more effective pharmacological tools. The atrial specific
two-pore domain K
