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Aetiology

Authoring team

Causes include: (1,2)

  • mitral valve disease
  • alcoholic heart disease - alcohol is the most common cause in men under 60
  • thyrotoxicosis
  • ischaemic heart disease
  • atrio-septal defect
  • idiopathic - about 15-20% of cases of permanent atrial fibrillation and approximately 50% of cases of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation are idiopathic

Reference:

  1. Hindricks G, Potpara T, Dagres N, et al. 2020 ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). Eur Heart J. 2021 Feb 1;42(5):373-498.
  2. January CT et al. 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS guideline for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014 Dec 2;64(21):e1-76.

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