4. what are some of the possible causes (etiology) of atrial fibrillation? course help

Symptoms

It results from a malfunction of signal pathways in the upper chambers of the heart. A-fib causes arrhythmia, which is when the heart beats with an irregular rhythm. It occurs when electrical signals in the heart’s upper chambers, known as the atria, become disrupted.

Causes

If your chances are higher anyway, this treatment can trigger an episode. So can over-the-counter cold medications with caffeine or other ingredients that rev up your heart rate. Alcohol: For some people, binge drinking is a trigger. But for others, even a modest amount can trigger AFib.

Prevention

The pathogenesis of AF is now thought to involve an interaction between initiating triggers, often in the form of rapidly firing ectopic foci located inside one or more pulmonary veins, and an abnormal atrial tissue substrate capable of maintaining the arrhythmia.

Complications

Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) Menu. The heart pumps blood to the rest of the body. During each heart beat, the two upper chambers of the heart (atria) contract, followed by the two lower chambers (ventricles). These actions, when timed perfectly, allow for an efficient pump.

What causes atrial fibrillation to occur?

What triggers AFIB episodes?

What is the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation?

How does atrial fibrillation (AFIB) work?

What are some of the possible causes etiology of atrial fibrillation?

Causes of atrial fibrillation Coronary artery disease. Heart attack. Heart defect that you're born with (congenital heart defect) Heart valve problems.

What is the etiology of atrial flutter?

It's caused by an abnormal electrical circuit in the upper chambers of the heart (atria) that makes the atria beat quickly and flutter instead of fully squeezing. It can result in fast heart rates and a heart that doesn't work as well as it should.

What causes atrial fibrillation UK?

The cause is not fully understood, but it tends to affect certain groups of people, such as older people and people living with long-term (chronic) conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure or obesity. It may be triggered by certain situations, such as drinking too much alcohol or smoking.

Can atrial fibrillation be caused by anxiety?

Stress can contribute to heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) such as atrial fibrillation. Some studies suggest that stress and mental health issues may cause your atrial fibrillation symptoms to worsen.

What Is Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib) is the most common irregular heart rhythm that starts in the atria. Instead of the SA node (sinus node) directing...

What Are The Dangers of Atrial Fibrillation?

Some people live for years with atrial fibrillation without problems. However, atrial fibrillation can lead to future problems: 1. Because the atri...

What Causes Atrial Fibrillation?

There is no one “cause” of atrial fibrillation, although it is associated with many conditions, including:

What Are The Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation?

You may have atrial fibrillation without having any symptoms. If you have symptoms, they may include: 1. Heart palpitations - Sudden pounding, flut...

What is the name of the treatment for atrial fibrillation?

A Stanford doctor co-invented a new form of ablation treatment called cryoablation (freezing), which has been used in over 200,000 patients worldwide, including patients with atrial fibrillation and supraventricular tachycardia.

What is AFIB treatment?

WHAT WE OFFER YOU FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION 1 Advanced AFib treatment options including several types of ablation, pacemakers, and surgery. 2 Comprehensive lifestyle modification and support, including one of the country’s largest psychological programs for patients with heart conditions. 3 Active research program to develop more effective treatment options.

What is AFIB care?

Breakthrough Afib Care Offered at Stanford Health Care. Susan Klein was like many of the millions who endure the symptoms of atrial fibrillation, often called Afib, a common form of cardiac arrhythmia. Day after day, she could do less and less.

What is the procedure called for AFIB?

We offer these types of procedures for AFib: Your doctor may perform a minimally invasive procedure called catheter ablation to restore a normal heart rhythm. Small plastic tubes called catheters are inserted into the body and used to delivery energy to destroy cells responsible for atrial fibrillation.

How to reduce AFIB symptoms?

In addition to taking medications, you can help reduce AFib symptoms through healthy eating, a low-sodium diet, physical activity, tobacco cessation, stress management, and avoidance of stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine.

What is Stanford Cardiac Arrhythmia Service?

The Stanford Cardiac Arrhythmia Service is not only dedicated to treating its patients with the finest treatment options available, but also to advancing those treatments. Clinical research studies may be sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, other governmental agencies, or industry.

Is MAZE necessary for AFIB?

This scar tissue interrupts the path of abnormal electrical pathways that cause AFib. MAZE is not necessary for most patients with AFib. MAZE is performed with catheter ablation or as a stand-alone surgery. TTMaze.

Where does atrial fibrillation occur?

Because atrial fibrillation usually begins in the pulmonary veins or at their attachment to the left atrium, energy is applied around the connections of the pulmonary veins to the left atrium during the pulmonary vein ablation procedure.

What is the most common test for atrial fibrillation?

The most commonly used tests to diagnose atrial fibrillation include: Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): The ECG draws a picture on graph paper of the electrical impulses traveling through the heart muscle. An EKG provides an electrical “snapshot” of the heart.

What is electrical cardioversion?

Electrical Cardioversion: A cardioversion electrically “resets” the heart. Medications alone are not always effective in converting atrial fibrillation to a more normal rhythm. Sometimes cardioversion is used to restore a normal heart rhythm and allow the medication to successfully maintain the normal rhythm.

What is the most common irregular heart rhythm that starts in the atria?

Atrial fibrillation ( AF or AFib) is the most common irregular heart rhythm that starts in the atria. Instead of the SA node (sinus node) directing the electrical rhythm, many different impulses rapidly fire at once, causing a very fast, chaotic rhythm in the atria.

What is the rate of impulses in the atria?

The ventricles contract irregularly, leading to a rapid and irregular heartbeat. The rate of impulses in the atria can range from 300 to 600 beats per minute. There are two types of atrial fibrillation. Paroxysmal is intermittent, meaning it comes and goes and continuous is persistent.

What is a pulmonary vein ablation?

Pulmonary Vein Ablation: Pulmonary vein ablation (also called pulmonary vein antrum isolation or PVAI) may be an option for people who cannot tolerate medications or when medications are not effective in treating atrial fibrillations.

What is an ECG recording of atrial fibrillation?

An ECG recording of atrial fibrillation. Instead of the impulse traveling in an orderly fashion through the heart, many impulses begin at the same time and spread through the atria, competing for a chance to travel through the AV node.

How many people are affected by atrial fibrillation?

In the United States, approximately 5 million people are affected by atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation classified into three types: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: AF attacks that last for less than 24 hours. Persistent atrial fibrillation: AF attacks that last for more than seven days and require treatment.

Why does my heart beat irregularly?

AFib symptoms like heart racing, fluttering, and irregular heart beat may be caused by heart disease, obesity, alcohol use, thyroid disease, and other conditions. AFib medications may include blood thinners, drugs to control heart rate or convert the heart to a normal rhythm. AFib surgery is also a treatment possibility.

What is the name of the heart condition that causes heart palpitations?

Atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib) is an abnormality in the heart rhythm, which involves irregular and often rapid beating of the heart. Symptoms may include heart palpitations, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Atrial fibrillation treatment may include medication or procedures like cardioversion or ablation ...

What is the best treatment for AFIB?

Treatment options of AFib include lifestyle changes, medications, and procedures such as cardioversion or ablation.

What are the side effects of AFIB?

Atrial fibrillation drugs can cause serious side effects like seizures, vision changes, shortness of breath, fainting, other abnormal heart rhythms, excessive bleeding while coughing or vomiting, blood in the stool, and bleeding into the brain.

What are the symptoms of AFIB?

Early warning signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation include chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness. Treatment for atrial fibrillation includes medical procedures, surgery, and medication.

What are the best medications for atrial fibrillation?

Medications commonly used to treat atrial fibrillation are: Antiarrhythmic drugs: Medications such as procainamide and amiodarone help to treat irregular heartbeats. Rate control medications: Medications such as digoxin, metoprolol and verapamil control the heart rate. Anticoagulant medications: Medications such as warfarin prevent the formation ...

What causes AFIB in the heart?

They contract so quickly that the heart walls quiver, or fibrillate. Damage to your heart's electrical system can cause AFib. This damage often results from other conditions that affect the heart.

What is the disease that causes AFIB?

Lung disease: This includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ), emphysema, or a blood clot in your lung ( pulmonary embolism ). COPD in particular often comes along with high blood pressure, heart disease, ventricle problems, and other problems that play a role in AFib, such as:

What causes a heartbeat to be out of sync?

Atrial Fibrillation: Causes, Risk Factors, and Triggers. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common problem with your heartbeat's rate or rhythm. The basic cause of AFib is disorganized signals that make your heart 's two upper chambers (the atria) squeeze very fast and out of sync. They contract so quickly that the heart walls quiver, ...

What are the problems with AFIB?

Problems with it that can lead to AFib include: Your heart's electrical signals misfire. Your heart rate alternates between fast and slow. Heart attack: When the artery that supplies blood to the atria is blocked, it can damage atrial tissue and lead to AFib.

Why do my chances of getting AFIB go up?

Age: Your odds go up as you get older, especially after age 60. In part, that’s because you’re more likely to get heart disease and other conditions that can cause AFib. Genes: AFib is a hereditary condition. That means a part of the cause is in the genes you get from your parents at birth.

What is the most common complication of AFIB?

Heart surgery : AFib is the most common complication. It will happen to 2 or 3 out of every 10 people recovering from a heart operation. High blood pressure: It’s the most common condition linked to AFib. It can make the atria, or upper chambers of your heart, get bigger, which makes it work harder.

What are the diseases that cause a blood clot in the lung?

Lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) or emphysema, or a blood clot in your lung ( pulmonary embolism) An overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) Obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Sleep apnea.

What causes atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation appears to be related to changes that can occur within the atrial muscle, chiefly inflammation, fibrosis, and increased pressure in the atrial chambers. These changes can disrupt the way atrial tissue handles the electrical impulses of the heart, resulting in atrial fibrillation.

What causes a person to have a familial atrial fibrillation?

3  It may be caused by a single gene mutation or a mix of genes, along with environmental or lifestyle risk factors. KCNQ1 is one gene that has been identified.

What is the medical term for a fast and very irregular heart rhythm?

Learn about our Medical Review Board. Jeffrey S. Lander, MD. on July 22, 2020. Atrial fibrillation, sometimes abbreviated as Afib, is a fast and very irregular heart rhythm caused by extremely rapid and chaotic electrical impulses originating in the heart's atria (the two upper cardiac chambers ).

Can you get atrial fibrillation from a gene mutation?

To a certain degree, yes. Gene mutations have been identified that raise the risk of atrial fibrillation. 9 This means that if someone in your immediate family has atrial fibrillation, you are more likely to develop it yourself. However, around 70% of cases aren't related to heredity.

Does alcohol increase the risk of atrial fibrillation?

In addition, newer studies also suggest that even moderate alcohol intake increases the risk of atrial fibrillation.

Is atrial fibrillation a lifestyle disease?

Doctors are just now becoming aware of the extent to which atrial fibrillation is a lifestyle disease. The typical patient a doctor sees with atrial fibrillation likely has no identifiable underlying cause (that is, no structural heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, or any of the other conditions listed above).

Does atrial fibrillation increase your risk of developing an arrhythmia?

Still, a history of atrial fibrillation in a close relative significantly increases your risk of developing this arrhythmia.

Is HF a cardiovascular disease?

HF is both a RF and an adverse clinical cardiovascular outcome associated with AF. The association was first recognized in the 1940s211and it is now established that HF and AF often co-exist,2predispose to the other,212and share common RFs including hypertension, diabetes, coronary disease, and valvular disease.

Can AF occur in the absence of structural abnormalities?

Whereas AF may occur in the absence of known structural or electrophysiological abnormalities, epidemiological association studies are increasingly identifying comorbid conditions, many of which have been shown to cause structural and histopathological changes that form a unique AF substrate or atrial cardiomyopathy.5.

How to know if you have atrial fibrillation?

1) Know the potential causes of atrial fibrillation. 2) Know the signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation. 3) Understand the pathophysiology of and potential complications associated with atrial fibrillation.

How long does it take for atrial fibrillation to go away?

Patients with atrial fibrillation of more than 2 to 3 days' duration must be adequately anticoagulated, generally for at least 2 weeks. 2) CHOICE OF PATIENTS. Patients with chronic atrial fibrillation have a strong tendency to revert after conversion to sinus rhythm and treatments to maintain sinus rhythm carry risks.

What is the most common cardiac arrhythmia?

Tap card to see definition 👆. 1) Atrial fibrillation (AF or A-fib) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (heart rhythm disorder). It may cause no symptoms, but it is often associated with palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure.

What is the goal of ventricular rate control?

a) Slowing the rapid ventricular rate caused by atrial fibrillation to a more normal range (less than 100 beats per minute, but not less than 60 beats per minute) Goal is 60 to 80 beats per minute at rest and 90 to 115 beats per minute during exercise. 2) Rhythm control.

Can atrial fibrillation cause heart failure?

It may cause no symptoms, but it is often associated with palpitations , fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure. However, in some people, atrial fibrillation is caused by otherwise idiopathic or benign conditions.

Overview

Symptoms

Causes

Risk Factors

Complications

Prevention