title: Differential atrial stunning after electrical cardioversion: an echo tissue Doppler case study.
abstract: Left atrial stunning after cardioversion is a well-known phenomenon. It has been associated with higher risk of postcardioversion thromboemboli and increased risk of recurrence of atrial fibrillation. We present a case of differential atrial stunning after electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation. Diagnosis was made by pulsed wave Doppler of mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary vein inflow and mitral and tricuspid annuli. Differential mechanical atrial stunning may be a common phenomenon after cardioversion and may suggest difference in right and left atrial transport function. Its prevalence needs to be determined by a large study. Doppler tissue imaging might be routinely used in patients after cardioversion for atrial fibrillation to detect atrial stunning.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Non-Invasive Laboratory, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Buchbinder
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: T Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Naqvi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans