Panel (A) illustrates the progression of left atrial
cardiopathy. Subtle changes in all three phases of left atrial strain in
the early stages of atrial cardiopathy precede more drastic changes in
left atrial volume and strain in advanced stages of atrial cardiopathy.Panel (B) illustrates the pathophysiologic consequences of
atrial cardiopathy, including atrial fibrillation and thromboembolism.
Note that atrial fibrillation can be both a cause and a result of atrial
cardiopathy.