The association between acute mental stress and abnormal left atrial electrophysiology.

Background: Acute stress may trigger atrial fibrillation (AF), but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We examined if acute mental stress results in abnormal left atrial electrophysiology as detected by more negative deflection of P-wave terminal force in lead V (PTFV ), a well-known marker of AF risk.

Methods And Results: We examined this hypothesis in 422 patients (mean age = 56 ± 10 years; 61% men; 44% white) with stable coronary heart disease who underwent mental (speech task) stress testing.

Endothelial Dysfunction is Associated with Occult Coronary Artery Disease Detected by Positron Emission Tomography.

Objective: Silent myocardial ischemia is common in asymptomatic subjects without a prior history of coronary artery disease (CAD) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Our objective was to determine whether endothelial dysfunction is associated with silent myocardial ischemia and whether the association is independent of genetic and familial factors.

Material And Methods: We examined 416 male monozygotic and dizygotic twins aged 47 to 63 years, free of symptomatic CAD.