![Sample our Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Allied Health journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5944/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Medicine-Dentistry-Nursing-Allied-Health.jpg"})
Abstract
The most feared consequence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is thromboembolism, either to the brain causing stroke or to the non-cerebral circulation. Valvular atrial fibrillation (VAF) and non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) differ not only by morphological substrate of arrhythmia but also by the rate of thromboembolic complications, predisposing factors and destination of embolism. In the setting of VAF, there is a higher risk of thromboembolism and a higher prevalence of thrombus location within the body of the left atrium compared to NVAF. VAF is also associated with a proportionally higher propensity for non-cerebral thromboemboli than in NVAF. The distribution of non-cerebral thromboemboli appears to be similar in VAF and NVAF; however, more research needs to be done in this area, particularly with regard to VAF.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.