Prevention of atrial fibrillation in hypertension.

Hypertensive patients have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), which increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this population. Primary prevention is a new strategy in treating AF; previously, it was more common to focus on preventing adverse outcomes and controlling the arrhythmia's rate and rhythm. In this review, we consider the possible preventive effects of antihypertensive treatment on new-onset AF seen in recent trials, especially with blockers of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Several secondary analyses of large, randomized trials regarding hypertension and heart failure have shown promising results with benefits beyond the expected blood pressure-lowering effect. A few prospective studies on prevention of AF recurrence with RAS blockade have been published, and more studies are expected to be published in the near future.