Coronary artery dominance and future risk of atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Background. The hearts of majority patients 85% have the right dominant vascular pattern, while the left dominant and the codominant pattern are found in 8% and 7% patients respectively. The left dominant circulation pattern poses a higher risk of cardiac arrhythmias as complications following common cardiac procedures. Objective(s). To identify and analyze the correlation between the type of coronary artery dominance – right, left or codominant – and the frequency of atrial fibrillation in patients. Materials and methods. 96 cases were examined. Those included (61) 63,5% patients who had undergone 24-hour Holter test and coronary angiography, (23) 23,95% patients exposed to CT, CT angiography as well as (12) 12,5% lab preserved hearts and pulmonary complexes of adult cadavers from the collection of the Department of Anatomy of the USMF „Nicolae Testemițanu”. Results. The right-dominant pattern was found in (68) 70,83% cases, the left-dominant one was registered in (26) 24.96% and the codominant pattern occurred in (2) 2,08% cases. This study indicates that in the general population, most people have a right dominant vascular pattern. Out of the 61 patients exposed to Holter test and coronarography, (39) 63,9% had the right dominance, (22) 36,1 % had the left dominance. The 24-hour Holter test showed atrial fibrillation in (7) 11,4% patients with the right-dominant pattern, whereas among the patients with the left-dominant pattern (9) 14,75%, cases of atrial fibrillation were recorded. Conclusion(s). Out of the 61 case, it was found that atrial fibrillation is more common in people with left coronary dominance (9) 14,75%, than in those with right coronary dominance (7) 11,4%. This study shows that patients with left coronary artery dominance have a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation.