Atrial fibrillation is the most common problem in Heartbeat The main cause of atrial fibrillation is the disorganized signals that make the two upper chambers of your heart (the atria) press too quickly and out of sync, and contract so quickly that the walls of the heart tremble. “webmd”.
Damage to your heart’s electrical system can cause atrial fibrillation. This damage often results from other conditions that affect the heart, but in at least 1 in 10 cases of atrial fibrillation, other things may play a role.
What can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation?
Things that often lead to atrial fibrillation include:
– getting old
– genes
Heart disease
– Heart attack
– high blood pressure
Lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema, or a blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
– overactive thyroid
Obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome
– Sleep Apnea
Infections caused by the virus
Age: Your odds increase as you get older, especially after age 60, in part because you’re more likely to develop heart disease and other conditions that can cause atrial fibrillation.
Genes: Atrial fibrillation is a genetic condition. This means that part of the cause lies in the genes you got from your parents at birth. If someone in your close family has or has had it, there is a higher risk for you either.
Heart disease: Atrial fibrillation is a problem with your heart, so other heart problems increase your chances of developing it, such as:
coronary heart disease
heart valve disease
rheumatic heart disease
heart failure
Heart muscle weakness (cardiomyopathy)
congenital heart defects
Inflammation of the membrane or sac surrounding the heart (pericarditis)
Heart conditions like these increase the chances of developing atrial fibrillation because they cause physical strain and stretch the tissues in the upper left chamber of the heart.
Stress and stretching lead to changes in the electrical properties of the cells, as well as changes in the structure of the heart, such as an increased dilation of the upper chamber and increased scarring. The combination of these things can increase the likelihood of atrial fibrillation.
If you have atrial fibrillation and another heart condition, get treatment as soon as possible.