Mutant Gene May Help Cause Abnormal Heartbeat

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"We only identified the mutations when we looked at the diseased tissue," he said. "Now we can say that atrial fibrillation can be genetic in origin, but it can only be identified by looking at diseased tissue."

The mutations probably are present from birth, Gollob said. They come into play as someone grows older, tipping the cardiac balance toward atrial fibrillation.

"This study gives us a more nuanced understanding of atrial fibrillation," Saffitz said. "It may help explain why some people develop atrial fibrillation and others do not."

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But the discovery also has much wider implications, Gollob said.

"This supports a very novel view," he said. "It says that idiopathic diseases of all sorts may have a genetic basis, and that their origin can be detected by looking at diseased tissues."

For his part, Saffitz said the finding offers an important insight into a number of genes and changes in genes. He believes experts will now have to consider genetic factors as important determinants of atrial fibrillation.

More information

Find out more about atrial fibrillation at the American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org ).

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