Causes & Types of Atrial Fibrillation
Causes of AFib
Atrial fibrillation can occur in otherwise healthy individuals.
Some common causes of atrial fibrillation:
- High blood pressure
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart valve problems
- Thyroid disorders
- Heart failure
- Sleep apnea
- Chronic lung disease (COPD)
- Conjenital disorders - present at birth
- Viral infection
- Heart surgery - AFib is a common complication of heart surgery with as many as 20-40% of patients developing it within several days after surgery.
AFib Risk Factors You Can Control
- Alcohol - over indulgence on a regular basis can cause the heart to enlarge and become predisposed to atril fibrillation.
- Exessive caffeine use
- Sleep Apnea
- Stress
- Smoking - leading to chronic lung disease (COPD)
Stages of AFib
There are different types of atrial fibrillation. These distinctions are made because the treatment depends on the type of atrial fibrillation. One may also start out with paroxysmal AFib and over time progress to persistent or long-standing persistent AFib
Paroxysmal: Refers to atrial fibrillation that comes and goes on its own. Episodes may last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours and sometimes days, but not lasting longer than 7 days. No medical treatment is needed to stop the episodes of atrial fibrillation.
Persistent: Atrial fibrillation episodes that last longer than 7 days. Also includes AFib lasting less than 7 days, but needing medicine or electrical cardioversion to stop the irregular rhythm.
Long-standing Persistent: Persistant atrial fibrillation that lasts longer than one year. Medicine and electrical cardioversion have failed and a normal heart rhythm cannot be restored without further intervention.