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Aging and Atrial Fibrillation. Introduction: Aging is associated with atrial interstitial fibrosis and increased incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that aged rats are suitable for study of aging‐related AF and that partial atrial cellular uncoupling induced with heptanol in young rats mimics aging‐related AF.

Methods and Results: Interatrial conduction time and atrial response to burst atrial pacing were evaluated in 11 young (2–3 months) and 12 old (22–24 months) male rats (Fisher 344) in the Langendorff‐perfused setting. At baseline, sustained (>30 sec) atrial tachycardia (AT) and AF were induced in 10 of 12 and in 7 of 12 old rats, respectively. No such arrhythmias could be induced in the young rats. Old rats had significantly () longer interatrial conduction time and P wave durations than the young rats. Burst pacing failed to induce AT and AF in all 11 young rats studied. The effects of heptanol 2 to 10 …