Welcome To 2016

Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy MD, Andrea Natale MD


Dear colleagues

On behalf of JAFIB we welcome you to 2016. Hope you had a productive and fruitful 2015 on the personal and professional fronts.

We want to thank all the contributors whose efforts enhanced the value of JAFIB in its mission of quality education for healthcare professionals and patients alike. Several exciting inventions, discoveries, theories and hypothesis have marked 2015 in the AF world. Clearly the focus shifted from target specific therapies to a comprehensive systemic approach. The importance of risk factor modification in arresting the evolution of the disease processes is the evolving mantra.

Earlier this month, the 20th Annual AF Symposium (Formerly Boston AF Symposium) concluded in Orlando over an exciting 3 day academic retreat. Special thanks to Dr. Jeremy Ruskin and co-directors for putting together a very important educational meeting that became synonymous with the progress we made in AF management. The 4rd International Symposium on Left Atrial Appendage (ISLAA 2015) is coming up next week in New York. JAFIB is proud to be the official journal of the meeting. With the recent approval of an LAA occlusion device by FDA with pending coverage decision from the CMS, this meeting reflects the collective interest in the field. Those of you who are still thinking it’s time to spring to action and join us in NYC in spring!

This edition of JAFIB has some exceptionally good original articles and reviews that we are sure you will enjoy.

We wish you a happy New Year and a blessed 2016 in all your endeavors.

Best regards




Dhanunjaya (DJ)Lakkireddy MD, FACC, FHRS Associate Editor JAFIB



Andrea Natale MD, FACC, FHRS, FESC Editor-in-Chief JAFIB