Lin Yee Chen, M.D., M.S.

Lin Yee Chen (chenx484@umn.edu) is a tenured Professor of Medicine and Director of the Electrophysiology section in the Cardiovascular Division at the University of Minnesota. He is a cardiac electrophysiologist and an NIH-funded clinical investigator whose research on atrial fibrillation (AF) is focused on 2 areas:

  1. To characterize the relationship of AF to outcomes such as stroke, dementia, and sudden cardiac death and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms

  2. To discover novel strategies to prevent AF, reduce AF burden, and prevent AF-related outcomes

Currently, he is the PI of 2 NIH R01-funded projects: (1) a large multi-center project (R01HL126637) that uses the Zio XT Patch—an ambulatory heart rhythm monitor—to define the prevalence of subclinical AF in the elderly and elucidate the prognostic significance of subclinical AF and AF burden, (2) R01HL141288 which aims to clarify the role of underlying left atrial abnormality in determining AF-related related stroke and cognitive decline. He is also the PI of an AHC Faculty Research Development Grant, “Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training and Sprint Interval Training in Reducing Atrial Fibrillation Burden”.

Dr. Chen’s clinical work is focused on catheter ablation to maintain sinus rhythm for patients with AF. Dr. Chen is the Medical Director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. On the national level, Dr. Chen has Chaired the 2018 AHA Scientific Statement Writing Groupon “Atrial Fibrillation Burden—Moving Beyond Atrial Fibrillation as a Binary Entity”, and serves on the 2018 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society Guideline Focused Update on the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Writing Committee, Heart Rhythm Society Research Committee, and American Heart Association Electrocardiography & Arrhythmias Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology. He is on the Editorial Board of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

Dr. Chen is also very active in teaching and mentoring. Dr. Chen is a faculty member of the University of Minnesota MS in Clinical Research Program and PhD in Epidemiology program. He has mentored numerous cardiology fellows and internal medicine residents on specific research projects leading to publications in peer-reviewed journals. He has served as the principal MPH and MS in Clinical Research thesis advisor for cardiology fellows.

Representative publications including residents and fellows:

  • Bekwelem W, Norby FL, Agarwal SK, Matsushita K, Coresh J, Alonso A, Chen LY, Association of Peripheral Artery Disease with Incident Atrial Fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. J Am Heart Assoc 2018;7:e007452.

  • Maheshwari A, Norby FL, Soliman EZ, Koene R, Roonery M, O’neal WT, Alonso A, Chen LY. Refining Prediction of Atrial Fibrillation Risk in the General Population With Analysis of P-Wave Axis (from the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study). Am J Cardiol 2017;120(11);1980-1984.

  • Maheshwari A, Norby FL, Soliman EZ, Koene RJ, Rooney MR, O'Neal WT, Alonso A, Chen LY. Abnormal P-wave Axis and Ischemic Stroke: The ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities). Stroke 2017;48(8):2060-2065.

  • Maheshwari A, Norby FL, Soliman EZ, Alraies MC, Adabag S, O'Neal WT, Alonso A, Chen LY. Relation of prolonged P-wave duration to risk of sudden cardiac death in the general population (from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study). Am J Cardiol 2017;119(9):1302-1306.

  • Chang IC, Agamawi YM, Austin E, Adkisson WO, Roukoz H, von Wald LN, Sakaguchi S, Benditt DG, Chen LY. Usefulness of atrial fibrillation as a marker for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in both primary and secondary prevention in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. Am J Cardiol 2016;118(10):1497-1502.

  • Bekwelem W, Jensen PN, Norby FL, Soliman EZ, Agarwal SK, Lip GY, Pan W, Folsom AR, Longstreth WT Jr, Alonso A, Heckbert SR, Chen LY. Carotid atherosclerosis and stroke in atrial fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Stroke 2016;47(6):1643-6.

  • Kwon Y, Lopez FL, Jensen P, Agarwal SK, Soliman EZ, Lip GYH, Alonso A, Heckbert SR, Chen LY. Association of Smoking, Alcohol, and Obesity with Cardiovascular Death and Ischemic Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) and Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS). PLOS One 2016;11(1):e0147065.

  • Chang I, Austin E, Krishnan B, Benditt DG, Quay CN, Ling LH, Chen LY. Shorter Minimum P-Wave Duration is Associated with Paroxysmal Lone Atrial Fibrillation. Journal of Electrocardiology 2014;47(1):106-112.

Research projects that trainees can lead include:

  1. Defining the prevalence and prognostic significance of subclinical AF in the general population

  2. Elucidating the prognostic significance of AF burden in relation to ischemic stroke, dementia, and sudden cardiac death

  3. Refining risk stratification of ischemic stroke in AF

  4. Defining the role of left atrial abnormality in determining AF-related outcomes

  5. Defining the role of exercising training in reducing AF burden and the underlying mechanisms