{"id":5143,"date":"2019-03-20T10:21:34","date_gmt":"2019-03-20T10:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=5143"},"modified":"2021-05-31T22:15:48","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T22:15:48","slug":"15-most-probable-afib-causes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/15-most-probable-afib-causes\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Most Probable AFib Causes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Atrial fibrillation (also known as Afib) is a health condition that causes a chronic elevated heart rate, and it\u2019s a more common condition than you might have thought. It affects thousands of people every single year, and most of the people who might be walking around with Afib might not even know that they have it \u2013 and they are at an automatically higher risk of heart attacks or strokes because of Atrial fibrillation.
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If you suspect that you might be suffering from a chronic increased heart rate, make an appointment with your doctor so that they can refer you to a cardiologist who can make the best recommendations for what treatment options to follow from that point on. The condition can be easily managed with simple treatment and some lifestyle changes.
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Here are 8 of the most probable causes of Atrial fibrillation that can help you to spot the condition.
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1. Stimulant Intoxication<\/strong>
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One of the first causes that a doctor will look for when someone comes into the emergency room with Atrial fibrillation that they can\u2019t find another obvious first cause for is the potential of stimulant intoxication that might have caused the condition to begin with. There are many different types of stimulants <\/a>that can lead to the condition, and this is anything that can increase the heart rate.
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It can be something as simple as caffeine in the form of one too many energy drinks, or it can be a sign of alcohol poisoning if combined with other symptoms such as pain in the liver and a high fever. Stimulant intoxication can also include certain drugs including methamphetamines and cocaine.
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For stimulant intoxication, detox is recommended first to make sure that all traces of the stimulants can be removed out of the body \u2013 and beta-blockers to control the heart rate.
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2. High Blood Pressure<\/strong>
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Normal human blood pressure measures in at 120 over 80, although it\u2019s generally agreed by most medical professionals that your perfect number might be a little higher or lower than this number \u2013 and this can still sometimes be considered normal as your baseline blood pressure as long as there\u2019s no obvious spike in one end or the other of your number.
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But if you\u2019re experiencing blood pressure<\/a> that skyrockets into the higher end, you should make an appointment with your doctor so that the condition can be managed and the root cause of the high blood pressure can be found. Usually the condition can be managed with some lifestyle changes and the right medication, and not a whole lot of effort on top of this.
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If you suffer from high blood pressure, you should start by cutting down on your sodium intake and then take a look at your diet.
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3. Infection<\/strong>
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If you have an underlying infection in the body that you might not know about, it\u2019s likely for the body to undergo several different symptoms that point to the presence of the infection <\/a>\u2013 including the possibility of an increased heart rate. Infections are countered in the body through a fever, which is the body\u2019s way of trying to create an environment that\u2019s too unpleasant for the virus or bacteria to continue multiplying in, but a fever itself can be dangerous \u2013 especially when it\u2019s being combined with a symptom like Atrial fibrillation.
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Most infections are easy to treat, and you should make an appointment with your doctor for antibiotics if you suspect that you might have an underlying infection causing your health issues.
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If it\u2019s the cause, you\u2019ll likely experience other symptoms in addition to just an increased heart rate, and it\u2019s best to make an appointment as soon as possible.
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4. Heart Disease<\/strong>
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Atrial fibrillation<\/a> can sometimes be caused by the underlying possibility of heart disease; while most people might think of conditions that affect the heart as only including blood pressure, it can be a lot more varied than this, and there are may different conditions that can potentially affect your heart.
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If you have heart disease, make an appointment with your doctor so that you can be referred to cardiologist for the best possible treatment of the condition.
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Remember that you are put at an increased risk of developing heart disease if you follow an unhealthy diet as it is, or if you have an existing family history of any heart disease running in your family. This means that you should take the potential of developing heart disease in your lifetime very, very seriously and try to live a lifestyle that\u2019s as healthy as possible for as long as you can.
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5. Lung Disease<\/strong>
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Lung <\/a>disease is one of the most common causes of Atrial fibrillation, and this is because of the fact that lung disease puts an additional amount of stress on your lungs \u2013 and the rest of your body \u2013 that can lead to an increased (and sometimes chronic) spike in your heart rate.
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You are at an automatically increased risk of developing lung disease if you\u2019re a smoker, or if you\u2019re living an unhealthy lifestyle; sometimes living in an area that\u2019s frequently blown over with pollen as well as factors in your family history can also influence just how much at risk you are of developing lung disease. Detoxification and a healthy lifestyle are both vital factors for avoiding Atrial fibrillation \u2013 and your body will thank you.
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Overall, it\u2019s a good idea to take care of your heart and make regular appointments with your doctor from the very beginning of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Sleep Apnea<\/strong>
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Sleep apnea<\/a> can greatly increase your risk of developing Atrial fibrillation, and the two conditions are often known for going hand-in-hand \u2013 being at risk of the one means automatically being at a higher risk of the other, and if you know of any existing risk due to especially family history, recent surgery, snoring or breathing issues, you should make an appointment with your doctor.
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In short, sleep apnea is a health condition that affects the lungs and breathing canal, and it leads to the complete stoppage of breathing during your sleep; in the majority of cases, people with sleep apnea will usually wake up from this, but this isn\u2019t always the case \u2013 and this is where the disorder starts to become dangerous.
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Make an appointment with your doctor if you suspect that you might have sleep apnea: The condition can be easily managed with some of the right lifestyle changes.
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7. Heart Surgery<\/strong>
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If you\u2019ve ever had heart surgery in your life, it\u2019s likely that it can affect you for the rest of your life; people who have undergone heart surgery<\/a> are most often expected to follow a strict treatment regimen, often for the rest of their lives, to compensate for factors that required them needing heart surgery in the first place.
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This covers a scope of several different types of heart surgeries that range from open heart surgery to correct a valve through to heart transplants, and Atrial fibrillation can usually be seen as one of the side effects of heart surgery of several different types.
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If you experience this, a lifelong course of heart medication (beta blockers) are usually prescribed, and sometimes blood thinners have to be taken on a permanent basis to ensure your heart and blood circulation stays in good health.
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Regular doctor\u2019s appointments are compulsory after heart surgery.
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8. Emotional Stress<\/strong>
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Physical stress like the ones stemming from health conditions that have been mentioned in this article isn\u2019t the only potential cause of Atrial fibrillation; in fact, in some cases it might not be outright physical stress to the body that\u2019s causing the condition at all. Instead, it might sometimes be due to emotional stress \u2013 which can put your body under a lot more physical stress than you ever might have realized before.
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If you are experiencing emotional stress and it\u2019s starting to affect your heart, start by making small lifestyle <\/a>changes that allow you to better cope with the stress \u2013 and minimize the things that can cause this stress where possible.
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If this doesn\u2019t help to manage it, your doctor can often help by prescribing the right type of medication to help you to manage mental stress easier, and stop it from putting any added physical stress on your heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Weakened Immune System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A healthy immune system<\/a> can ward off infection or reduce the severity of the symptoms while speeding up healing time. However, those patients with a weakened immune system are more prone to infection. As a result, they run the risk of catching a severe bacterial infection that may result in the development of endocarditis.
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Endocarditis is an infection of the tissues in the endocardial lining of the heart valves. This situation is a life-threatening condition, especially if the inflammation caused by the disease starts to interfere with blood flow to the heart. In some cases, patients with endocarditis may experience sudden death through congestive heart failure.
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Patients that experience infection requires immediate treatment with antibiotics to prevent the growth and spread of the bacteria that cause the condition. If left untreated, the patient may start to notice the onset of Afib symptoms, as the heart begins to experience circulatory problems in the valves due to the inflammation of the endocardial lining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Sick Sinus Syndrome<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you start to wonder how sinusitis could cause Afib, it\u2019s essential to understand that sick sinus syndrome has nothing to do with your sinuses<\/a>. Also known as sinus node dysfunction or sinus node disease, the condition describes a group of arrhythmias in the heart, (rhythm problems.)
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The sinus node is the hearts biological pacemaker, found in the upper-right chamber of the heart. Under normal circumstances, the nodes job is to send a steady flow of electrical impulses that govern your heart rate and heartbeat. However, patients with sinus node dysfunction, experience disruptions in the normal electrical impulses – resulting in Afib symptoms.
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Patients with sick sinus syndrome find that their heart rate experiences rapid changes. The patient may experience increases in heart rate followed by sudden drops. Seniors are most at risk of developing this cardiovascular disorder, but it can occur at any age. Patients with sick sinus syndrome almost always end up installing a pacemaker to settle the electrical impulses in the sinus node.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Previous Heart Surgery and Heart Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When a patient receives symptoms of Afib, it\u2019s generally due to an underlying health issue with the cardiovascular system<\/a>. Patients who have a history of heart problems, or have undergone surgery to fix a heart defect, may be at a higher risk for developing symptoms of Afib after their recovery.
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Similarly, patients who have a history of heart problems in their family are at higher risk of developing the same issues. Those patients born with congenital heart defects, such as abnormal heart valves, may also notice the onset of Afib symptoms when the disease starts to manifest later in life.
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Patients with a previous history of heart problems need to pay special attention to their health to avoid future cardiac events. Research shows that those people who have already experienced a heart attack, are twice as likely to experience another cardiac event in the future when compared to other healthy individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Hyperthyroidism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The thyroid is the small, butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the throat. The thyroid releases hormones into the bloodstream that help with maintaining metabolic function. Patients who experience an increase in thyroid activity may notice that their metabolism picks up, and they start to lose body weight, to the point where it becomes a cause for concern.
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Hyperthyroidism <\/a>occurs when the thyroid produces too much thyroxine, a hormone responsible for stimulating metabolism, causing the weight loss effects mentioned. However, it can also act as a trigger to cause the onset of Afib symptoms. When thyroxine over-stimulates the nervous system, it may result in disruptions and changes to the electrical impulses to the heart. As a result, the patient starts to notice signs of fluttering, and eventually, Afib.
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Doctors treat hyperthyroidism using medications to bring hormone production in the thyroid back into balance with the body. Most patients will notice a decline in their Afib symptoms after starting the medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Atrial flutter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who experience atrial flutter, get off easy. Doctors consider this phenomenon to be a \u201ctoned-down\u201d version of Afib. The patient may feel a slight flutter in their heart rate that lasts for a few seconds. This symptom is relatively common in most people and is not a cause for concern.
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However, if the patient finds that they start to notice an increase in incidents of atrial fluttering, it may be a sign of an underlying health disorder affecting the atria in the heart. The patient may experience an increase in the intensity of the fluttering until it results in a full-blown case of Afib.
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Patients who experience an increase in symptoms of atrial fluttering should consult with a doctor. Your physician <\/a>will perform preliminary tests and then refer you to a cardiologist for further examination once they cannot confirm a cause for their diagnosis. Most cases result in no lasting damage to the cardiovascular system of the patient, and they make a full recovery to normal levels of heart function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Pneumonia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pneumonia <\/a>is a dangerous disease with life-threatening complications. Patients infected with the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, often experience the infection as a result of bronchitis or another respiratory infection. As a result, the bacteria breed in the lungs, causing a buildup of phlegm and mucus in the lungs.
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Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria target the bronchiole and the alveoli, the thin tubes that lead to tiny air sacs. The alveoli have the task of exchanging CO2 for oxygen in the lungs. However, patients with pneumonia experience fluid buildup in these sacs, resulting in symptoms of coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
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Pneumonia can lead to the development of a high fever in the patient, along with symptoms of Afib. Doctors treat pneumonia with the use of antibiotics to kill the invading bacteria and dry out the lungs. In most cases, the patient makes a full recovery. However, in some cases, the bacteria may spread to both lungs presenting a life-threatening situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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15. Risk Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Certain risk factors<\/a> make some people more predisposed to developing symptoms of Afib. If you fall into any of the high-risk categories outlined below, then speak to your doctor about a treatment plan to handle the symptoms of Afib, if and when they occur.
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Age is the most predominant risk factor in developing Afib. The older you are, the more likely you are to incur the condition. In most cases, seniors over the age of 65-years old are most at risk.
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Patients with heart disease are the second highest risk group for developing Afib symptoms. Patients with valve problems, coronary artery disease, or a history of cardiac events, are more likely to develop symptoms of Afib.
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Patients with hypertension that do not receive medication to manage their condition may experience symptoms of Afib.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other chronic conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, CKD, or diabetes, may exacerbate symptoms of Afib.
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Obesity and alcoholism are also high-risk lifestyle behaviors that may lead to the development of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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