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Fat around heart may cause irregular heartbeat -- ScienceDaily

Fat around heart may cause irregular heartbeat -- ScienceDaily:

 Obesity is a known risk factor for atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder. Obesity is commonly measured as a person's body mass index (BMI). But a Loyola University Medical Center study has found that the layer of fat around the outside of the heart is more closely associated with atrial fibrillation than BMI. "Many people who would not be considered obese by their BMI nevertheless have high volumes of fat around their hearts, which could put them at risk for atrial fibrillation. Simple measures such as BMI may fail to completely inform us of a patient's true cardiovascular risk," said Mark Rabbat, MD, first author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine and radiology, Division of Cardiology, at Loyola University Medical Center. Dr. Rabbat presented the intriguing findings Nov. 17 at the American Heart Association 2014 Scientific Sessions in Chicago. The study found a statistically significant correlation between the fat layer and scarring in the left atrium that causes atrial fibrillation. By contrast, there was not a statistically significant correlation between BMI and scarring in the left atrium. (The left atrium is one of the four chambers of the heart.) Atrial fibrillation, or a-fib, occurs when the atria (upper chambers of the heart) fibrillate (contract very fast and irregularly). A-fib is thought to be caused by inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) in the left atrium. The fat layer around the outside of the heart is called epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). New innovations in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging enable physicians to precisely measure both EAT volume and the amount of fibrosis in the left atrium. "Our study is the first of its kind to demonstrate the association of EAT and the extent of left atrial fibrosis in patients with a-fib," Dr. Rabbat said.
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