Causes and Diagnoses

Causes and Diagnoses of Atrial Fibrillation

As you age, your risk for developing atrial fibrillation increases. Other causes of atrial fibrillation include:

  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Dysfunction of the sinus node (the "natural pacemaker" of the heart)
  • Mitral valve disorders
  • Rheumatic heart disease
  • Pericarditis (inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart)
  • Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • Family history of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation can also occur in conjunction with a heart attack or soon after heart surgery.

Tests

Your cardiologist will listen to your heart with a stethoscope, which may reveal an irregular rhythm. The normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute. Depending upon the type of atrial fibrillation, your heart rate may be very fast or very slow. Blood pressure may be high, normal or low.

To confirm the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, we will record your heart’s rhythm using an electrocardiogram (ECG). When atrial fibrillation is intermittent, long-term monitoring may be necessary, using equipment like a holter or event monitor. These small, portable devices record your heart's electrical activity, similar to an EKG (electrocardiogram).

You may receive additional tests to find other abnormalities of the heart that can occur with atrial fibrillation.