Preclinical Models: What Clinical Lessons Have We Learned?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia responsible for a substantial morbidity (1) andmortality (2) in the general population. It affects mainly the elderly, with a prevalence of 0.5% in patients aged 50 to 59 years, incrementing to almost 9% in men aged over 80 years (3). Atrial fibrillation sometimes occurs in individuals without cardiac abnormalities (lone atrial fibrillation) (4). More often it is associated with an underlying heart disease such as hypertension, valvular disorders, coronary artery disease, and/or congestive heart failure (3).