Mechanism of atrial fibrillation and increased incidence of thromboembolism in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

To elucidate the morphologic characteristics of the left ventricle in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who developed atrial fibrillation, we studied left ventricular geometry by two-dimensional echocardiography in 92 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. These patients were divided into two groups; 24 patients with transient or persistent atrial fibrillation (group I) and 68 patients with sinus rhythm (group II). Left ventricular chamber size in group I was significantly smaller than that in group II. Left ventricular chamber size was correlated positively with stroke volume, and was correlated negatively with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The incidence of systemic thromboembolism in group I was 7.1% per patient year. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the size of the left ventricle appears to have major pathophysiologic significance in the development of atrial fibrillation. In addition, since patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who develop atrial fibrillation have a potential risk of systemic thromboembolism, prophylactic anticoagulant therapy should be performed in these patients.