Lay summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder in Aotearoa. Patients with AF experience a chaotic spread of electrical signals throughout the top of the heart, resulting in uncoordinated pumping of blood. This increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and premature death. Therefore, a better understanding of AF is required.
The current project will investigate how changes in cell-to-cell gateways between heart cells may cause disruption in the spread of electrical signals. It will utilise small human heart samples from patients with and without AF to perform high-resolution microscopy and live electrical mapping techniques. This project will also develop an experimental model of AF using human heart samples by rapid electrical stimulation. The model will screen the anti-arrhythmic drug flecainide (used clinically) and provide new information about its therapeutic action. This will provide key mechanistic insights that could aid the development of future AF therapies.