HOW DO YOU GET A-FIB (CAUSES)?
    Nearly three million people in the U.S. have A-Fib. By the year 2050, the number will be 5.6 million.⁷¹ This year there will be over 340,000 new cases in the US. A-Fib is the most common heart arrhythmia.¹⁴⁶ In the U.S. people over 40 have a one in four lifetime risk of developing A-Fib.⁸² Worldwide the number of cases is estimated to be around 600 million.²²⁴ A-Fib has rightly been called an epidemic.¹¹⁴
    (Doctors should be proud of the great number of their patients who are now A-Fib symptom free. Catheter ablation for A-Fib is one of the great medical breakthroughs of our time. Unfortunately the current number of A-Fib doctors (and surgeons) can take care of only a fraction of those developing A-Fib each year. Catheter and Surgical PVI ablations combined take care of less than 1% of the A-Fib population annually.²³⁶)

HEART PROBLEMS
    If you've had other heart problems, this could lead to diseased heart tissue which generates the extra A-Fib pulses. Hypertension (high blood pressure), Mitral Valve disease, Congestive Heart Failure, and obesity¹³² seem to be related to A-Fib, possibly because they stretch and put pressure on the pulmonary veins where most A-Fib originates. Many people ("up to 40% of patients"⁴²) get A-Fib after open heart surgery. "Pericarditis"---inflammation of the pericardium, a sack-like membrane surrounding the heart---can lead to A-Fib.
   
 HEAVY DRINKING
   Heavy drinking may trigger A-Fib, what hospitals call "holiday heart"---the majority of A-Fib admissions occur over weekends or holidays when more alcohol is consumed. No association was found between moderate alcohol use and A-Fib.²⁴⁹
    Otherwise healthy middle-aged women who consumed more than 2 drinks daily were 60% more likely to develop AF.²²⁷
    Steve Walters writes that red wine brings on A-Fib attacks for him, but not beer, white wine, or cordials. Has anyone else had similar experiences with red wine? E-mail: bicwiley(at)gmail.com.

SEVERE BODY & MIND STRESS
    Extreme fatigue, emotional stress, severe infections, severe pain, traumatic injury, and illegal drug use can trigger A-Fib. Low or high blood and tissue concentrations of minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium can trigger A-Fib. Thyroid problems (hyperthyroidism), lung disease, reactive hypoglycemia, obesity, viral infections, diabetes, and smoking can trigger A-Fib. Smoking cigarettes raises the risk of developing A-Fib even if one stops smoking, possibly because past smoking leaves behind permanent fibrotic damage to the atrium which makes later A-Fib more likely.¹²⁹

GENETICS
    Some research has identified a Familial A-Fib where A-Fib is passed on genetically²⁸ but it is relatively rare. (Editor's Theory: Some consider all A-Fib genetic in that we are born with A-Fib triggers---usually the Pulmonary Vein Openings in the Left Atrium. They seem to be genetically related to and similar in structure to the AV Node, the natural pacemaker of the heart. They usually beat in sync with the AV Node. But when impaired, they start beating on their own producing A-Fib signals. But be advised that this is only a theory and not established medical fact.) 

A-FIB TRIGGERS
    Some cases have been reported where antihistamines, bronchial inhalants, local anesthetics, medications such as sumatriptan, a headache drug,¹³² tobacco use, MSG, cold beverages, high altitude, and even sleeping on one's left side or stomach are said to have triggered A-Fib. The author used to include caffeine (coffee, tea, sodas, etc.) in this list, but some research suggests that coffee and caffeine in moderate to heavy doses (2-3 cups to 10 cups/day) may not trigger or induce A-Fib.^{144, 145} Coffee (caffeine) may indeed be antiarrhythmic and may reduce propensity and inducibility of A-Fib both in normal hearts and in those with focal forms of A-Fib.¹⁴³ (Thanks to Karl for calling our attention to these articles.)
    Chocolate in large amounts may trigger attacks. Chocolate contains a little caffeine, but also contains the structurally related theobromine, a milder cardiac stimulant (thanks to Prof. Phil Page from the UK for this info). GERD (heartburn) and other stomach problems (like H. pylori) may be related to or trigger A-Fib. If so, antacids and proton pump inhibitors like Nexium may help your A-Fib (Thanks to Ian Betts for this observation). A report from England suggests that the veterinary antibiotic "Lasalocid" found in eggs and poultry meat may cause or trigger A-Fib.⁶⁵ One person writes that hair regrowth products seem to trigger his A-Fib. Another writes that the natural sweetener and sugar substitute Stevia seems to trigger her A-Fib.

SLEEP APNEA
    Recent research indicates sleep apnea (where your breathing stops while you are sleeping) may contribute to A-Fib, probably by causing stress to the Pulmonary Vein openings.⁹⁰   Many people have sleep apnea and don't know it. Your significant other can tell you if you snore a lot, which is often a sign of sleep apnea. If you have A-Fib, it might be wise to have yourself checked for sleep apnea.  (Thanks to David Embler for this observation.)
    A Pulse Oximeter, available in drug stores, can give you a "quick" diagnosis of how much oxygen is in your blood. Below 90% would indicate you need to have a sleep lab study. (Thanks to Rose Vernier for this info.)
    (Gail writes that both her sleep apnea and her A-Fib were cured by a CPAP [Continuous Positive Airway Pressure] breathing machine. E-mail: gail(at)bonairwine.com [the "@" is written as "(at)" to avoid access by spam mailing lists].)

MECHANICALLY INDUCED A-FIB
    Be careful if you work around equipment that vibrates. Certain frequencies and/or vibrations may possibly trigger or induce A-Fib. See Mechanically Induced A-Fib. (If anyone has any info on how or why high frequencies and/or vibrations may possibly affect A-Fib, please let me know.)

VAGAL A-FIB
    If your A-Fib episodes occur usually at night, after a meal, when resting after exercising, or when you have digestive problems, you may have Vagal A-Fib. (See Vagal A-Fib)

PHYSICAL AND GENDER CHARACTERISTICS
    Athletes are more prone to A-Fib perhaps because they have larger hearts where there is more room for these extra electrical signals to develop and propagate, and possibly because of the extra pressure they put on their pulmonary veins through aerobic exercise. A-Fib is often found in tall people, particularly basketball players.⁸⁹ Men get A-Fib more than women.

AGING
    A-Fib is associated with aging of the heart. As patients get older, the prevalence of A-Fib increases, roughly doubling with each decade. 2-3% of people in their 60s, 5-6% of people in their 70s, and 8-10% of people in their 80s have A-Fib.^68,69,70 This suggests that A-Fib may be related to degenerative, age-related changes in the heart. Inflammation may contribute to the structural remodeling associated with A-Fib.⁸²

LONE A-FIB
    But in many A-Fib cases (around 50% of Paroxysmal A-Fib⁴⁴), there is no currently discernible cause or trigger (called "Lone" or "Idiopathic A-Fib").²⁶ (Some research suggests that inflammation may initiate Lone A-Fib.⁸⁴)

Disclaimer: the authors of this Web site are not medical doctors and are not affiliated with any medical school or organization. The information on this site is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in this service is intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment.

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(This page last updated 1/03/11)

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