From guidelines to bench: implications of unresolved clinical issues for basic investigations of atrial fibrillation mechanisms.

The 2011 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Guidelines provide detailed recommendations for AF management, as well as extensive background information. The Guidelines documents highlight many important unresolved questions and areas of clinical need that could benefit from basic research investigations. This article discusses basic research priorities emanating from the Guidelines reflections. Topics addressed include forms of AF and their interrelations, limitations of the presently available experimental models of AF, genetic factors, determinants of drug efficacy for pharmacologic cardioversion, mechanisms of AF-related thromboembolism, ventricular rate control, drugs for rhythm control, upstream therapy, mechanisms by which catheter ablation controls AF, mechanisms of postoperative AF, and the possibility of novel patient-based surgical procedures. A guidelines-to-bench approach to research may allow for the development of important, clinically relevant new knowledge with impacts on patient management and future AF guidelines.