Understanding atrial cardiomyopathy: a missing link in the prevention of atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke?

Atrial cardiomyopathy is multifaceted and interrelated with atrial fibrillation and clinical outcomes. Atrial cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation are influenced by similar risk factors. Whereas the relation of atrial fibrillation with outcomes like heart failure and stroke is well defined (red arrows), the interplay with atrial cardiomyopathy requires support by future research (dashed blue arrows). In this issue of the European Heart Journal, Vad et al. presented convincing support of part of this interplay (solid blue arrows).10