Atrial fibrillation causes

Atrial Fibrillation Microchapters
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Special Groups Postoperative AF Acute Myocardial Infarction Wolff-Parkinson-White Preexcitation Syndrome Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Hyperthyroidism Pulmonary Diseases Pregnancy ACS and/or PCI or valve intervention Heart failure
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Anticoagulation Overview Warfarin Converting from or to Warfarin Converting from or to Parenteral Anticoagulants Dabigatran
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

The most common cause of atrial fibrillation is atrial dilation associated with hypertension. Approximately 1/3 of patients have familial atrial fibrillation which is due to an underlying genetic disorder. Given the number of patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting in the developed world, this is an increasing underlying cause of atrial fibrillation. Other general causes include the advancing age of the population this hemodynamic stress of heart failure and valvular heart disease, myocardial ischemia, a variety of inflammatory disorders, pulmonary diseases, alcohol and drug abuse, and endocrine disorders.

Causes

Common Causes

• COPD
• Drugs
• Hypertension
• MI
• Sick sinus syndrome
• Sleep apnea
• Stress
• Thyrotoxicosis
• Valvular heart disease

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular	Atrial ischemia or atrial infarction, Atrial myxoma, Atrial septal defect, Cardiac tumors, Cardiomyopathy, Channelopaties particularly abnormalities in the sodium channels, Congestive heart failure, Constrictive pericarditis, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery, Coronary Artery Disease, Dilated cardiomyopathy, Endocarditis, Familial atrial fibrillation type 1, Familial atrial fibrillation type 3, HOCM, Hypertension, Left ventricular hypertrophy, Lutembacher's syndrome, Mitral regurgitation, Mitral stenosis, Myocardial infarction, Myocarditis, Pericarditis, Rheumatic fever, ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), Tricuspid regurgitation, Tricuspid stenosis, Unstable angina, Valvular heart disease
Chemical / poisoning	Alcohol, Alcohol withdrawal, Breath spray which contains alcohol, Caffeine,
Dermatologic	No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect	Alcohol, Alcohol withdrawal, Cocaine, Conivaptan, Methamphetamines, Porfimer sodium, Tea
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Pheochromocytoma
Environmental	Hypothermia
Gastroenterologic	Esophageal surgery
Genetic	Atherosclerosis, Channelopaties particularly abnormalities in the sodium channels, Familial atrial fibrillation type 1, Familial atrial fibrillation type 3, HOCM
Hematologic	No underlying causes
Iatrogenic	Esophageal surgery
Infectious Disease	Endocarditis, Myocarditis, Pericarditis, Pneumonia, Rheumatic fever
Musculoskeletal / Ortho	Collagen vascular disease
Neurologic	Stroke, Subarachnoid hemorrhage
Nutritional / Metabolic	Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, Obesity
Obstetric/Gynecologic	No underlying causes
Oncologic	Atrial myxoma, Bronchogenic carcinoma, Cardiac tumors, Lung cancer, Pheochromocytoma, Porfimer sodium
Opthalmologic	No underlying causes
Overdose / Toxicity	Alcohol, Alcohol withdrawal, Breath spray which contains alcohol, Caffeine, Cocaine, Tea
Psychiatric	No underlying causes
Pulmonary	Bronchogenic carcinoma, Hypoxia, Lung cancer, Pneumonia, Porfimer sodium, Pulmonary embolism, Pulmonary hypertension, Sarcoidosis
Renal / Electrolyte	Albuminuria, Electrolyte disturbances, Renal insufficiency
Rheum / Immune / Allergy	Collagen vascular disease, Interleukin 11, Rheumatic fever, Sarcoidosis
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Myocardial contusion
Urologic	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	Channelopaties particularly abnormalities in the sodium channels, Hypoxia, Interleukin 11

Causes in Alphabetical Order

• Acute myocardial infarction
• Alcohol
• Alcohol withdrawal
• Atrial ischemia
• Atrial myxoma
• Atrial septal defect
• Bronchogenic carcinoma
• Caffeine
• Cardiac tumors
• Cardiomyopathy
• Channelopaties
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Cocaine
• Collagen vascular disease
• Congenital heart disease
• Congestive heart failure
• Conivaptan
• Constrictive pericarditis
• Coronary artery bypass graft surgery
• Coronary artery disease
• Dehydration
• Diabetes
• Dilated cardiomyopathy
• Electrolyte disturbance
• Endocarditis
• Familial atrial fibrillation
• Fatigue
• Heart failure
• Hemochromatosis
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Hypothermia
• Hypothyroidism
• Hypoxia
• Idiopathic pericarditis
• Left ventricular hypertrophy
• Lung cancer
• Lutembacher syndrome
• Metabolic syndrome
• Methamphetamines
• Mitral regurgitation
• Mitral stenosis
• Myocardial infarction
• Myocarditis
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Pericarditis
• Peripartum cardiomyopathy
• Pheochromocytoma
• Pneumonia
• Porfimer sodium
• Psychological stress
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Renal insufficiency
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Sarcoidosis
• Stroke
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Surgery
• Tricuspid regurgitation
• Tricuspid stenosis
• Unstable angina
• Uremic pericarditis
• Valvular heart disease
• Viral infections

Lone Atrial Fibrillation

In about 10% of patients no underlying cause is identified. This condition is called lone atrial fibrillation.