Congestive heart failure induces structural and electrical atrial remodeling, which contributes to the development of atrial fibrillation.
Atrial remodeling due to CHF is characterized by structural changes, abnormalities of conduction, sinus node dysfunction, and increased refractoriness. These abnormalities may be responsible in part for the increased propensity for AF in CHF.
Sanders et al. (Tue,) studied this question.