CHANGES IN TRANSMITRAL AND PULMONARY VENOUS FLOW VELOCITY PATTERNS AFTER CARDIOVERSION OF ATRIAL-FIBRILLATION

To examine the recovery time of left atrial mechanical function after electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation, we recorded transmitr al flow, pulmonary venous flow velocities, and interatrial septal moti on during atrial systole within 24 hours (16 +/- 5 hours) and 10 days after cardioversion in 25 patients with atrial fibrillation, including 6 patients with hypertension, 4 with ischemic heart disease, 2 with a lcoholic heart disease, 5 with dilated cardiomyopathy, and 8 with no e vidence of underlying heart disease. With the exception of the five pa tients with dilated cardiomyopathy, the peak atrial systolic transmitr al and pulmonary venous flow velocities, peak first systolic velocity of pulmonary venous flow, duration of both atrial systolic waves, and amplitude of the interatrial septal motion during atrial systole decre ased markedly within 24 hours after cardioversion and increased 10 day s after cardioversion. These results suggest that active atrial systol ic and relaxant variables obtained from transmitral and pulmonary veno us flow velocities may reflect left atrial mechanical function after c ardioversion of atrial fibrillation.