Kardiol Pol
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Diastolic heart failure often coexists with atrial fibrillation (AF). Elevated plasma levels of natriuretic peptides are the left ventricular (LV) marker of diastolic dysfunction. ⋯ The drop in ANP and BNP plasma concentrations after conversion to sinus rhythm in patients with AF depends on the LV diastolic function. Restoration of sinus rhythm is associated with improvement of the heart's haemodynamics, especially in patients with impaired LV diastolic function, which may be inferred from the more pronounced decrease of BNP level after DC cardioversion in this subgroup, as compared to that with normal LV function.