Competence Network on Atrial Fibrillation (AFNET)

Irregular heart beat, shortness of breath and eventually stroke – the disease has many faces

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. About one million – mainly elder – people are suffering from this disease in Germany. The number of patients is estimated to rise two-fold within the next 25 years due to demographic aging in western nations. The disease reduces physical fitness, impairs the quality of life and entails a high stroke risk in about 80% of the affected patients.

The German Competence Network on Atrial Fibrillation is developing new methods for diagnosis and treatment. The genetic and molecular biological causes and the electrophysiological mechanisms of atrial fibrillation have been analysed in experimental studies.

Clinical research is indispensable in addition to basic research: Since 2004, anonymised patient data have been recorded in a data documentation system and a patient registry has been established. The data provide a basis for large-scale epidemiological studies. Furthermore, new drug-based and technical forms of treatment are being evaluated in clinical studies – with regard to individual patients and on the basis of quality standards and the latest findings in an ever-expanding pool of knowledge.
 

> Research Network on Atrial fibrillation

> overview networks