Pairoj Chattranukulchai, Sudarat Satitthummanid, Sarinya Puwanant, Smonporn Boonyaratavej.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Cardiac Center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand

Chananya ChaiyaumpornMD.

What is atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia which causes a fast and erratic heartbeat.

If you have AF

·         Your heart rate is usually a lot faster than normal.

·         Your heartbeat is irregular - that is, an abnormal heart rhythm (an arrhythmia).

·         The force of each heartbeat can vary in intensity.

What happens is that the normal controlling timer in the heart is overridden by many random electrical impulses that fire off from the heart muscle in the atria. The atria then fibrillate. This means that the atria only partially contract - but very rapidly. Only some of these impulses pass through to the ventricles in a haphazard way.

Details are only in Thai Page.

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart beat which can cause blood clot in the heart and embolic stroke. Prevention of stroke can be managed by anticoagulation (Blood thinner). However, some patients are contraindicated to the blood thinner. Left atrium appendage (LAA) occluder device is a new technology developed to occupy the space in the heart (LAA) where the blood clot forms as an alternative treatment for blood thinner. The device placement can be performed by catheter technique via the access of the artery beneath the groin area without a need for open heart surgery. The length of hospital stay is 1-2 days.

Cardiac Center at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital is the first in Thailand successfully performed LAA occlude device placement in two patients with atrial fibrillation. More details are in Thai.

KCMH (King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital) Cardiac Center has recently introduced a new medical technology to treat resistant hypertension. The link of heart and kidney strongly plays an important role of neurohormonal signal to control blood pressure. Ablation of renal nerve results in a significant reduction in blood pressure. Led by Drs. Jakarpun Chaipromprasit and Suphot Srimahachota and colleagues, KCMH successfully performed renal nerve denervation in resistant hypertensive patients. More details are in Thai.