NHLBI IN THE PRESS

Large-scale analysis reveals genetic loci associated with arrhythmia

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder, and a leading cause of heart failure and stroke. Researchers recently conducted the largest meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for atrial fibrillation to date, consisting of more than half a million individuals from more than 50 studies, including 65,446 with atrial fibrillation. In total, they identified 97 genetic loci significantly associated with the disorder, including 67 novel loci. The study reveals more than a threefold increase in the number of known loci associated with this common arrhythmia. These results extend our understanding of the biological pathways underlying atrial fibrillation and may facilitate the development of new therapies. The study, which was partly funded by NHLBI, was published in Nature Genetics.

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Broad Institute