Health encyclopaedia

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

Causes of Atrial fibrillation

The condition mostly affects elderly people with high blood pressure, coronary artery disease that has affected the heart muscle, and heart valve disease, especially abnormal narrowing of the valve between the atrium and the ventricle on the left side of the heart (mitral stenosis). It may also affect middle-aged people who apparently have no heart problems.

 In people who do not apparently have structural heart disease, atrial fibrillation may be due to overactivity of the thyroid gland, excessive alcohol intake, inflammation of the bag surrounding the heart (pericarditis) or inflammation of the heart muscle. There is also a condition called sick sinus syndrome in which there is a malfunction of the conducting system of the heart at the atrial level. This may feature fibrillation among other forms of irregularity.

• AbortionAbscessAccident and emergency departmentsAccidents and first aidAccidents to children in the homeAcneAcoustic neuromaActinomycosisAcupunctureAddictionsAddison's diseaseAdenoids and adenoidectomyAgoraphobiaAir embolismAlcohol misuseAllergiesAltitude sicknessAlzheimer's diseaseAmbulance ServiceAmniocentesisAmniotomyAmoebiasisAnaemiaAnaesthesiaAnaesthetic, generalAnaesthetic, localAnal fissureAnal fistulaAnaphylaxisAndrogen insensitivity syndromeAneurysmAnginaAngioedemaAngiographyAnkylosing spondylitisAnorexia nervosaAntacid drugsAntenatal careAntenatal screeningAnti-inflammatories, non-steroidalAnticoagulant drugsAntidepressant drugsAntifungal drugsAntihistamine drugsAnxietyAphasiaApnoeaAppendicitisArthritisArthroscopyArtificial inseminationAsbestosisAspergillosisAsthmaAstigmatismAtherosclerosisAthlete's footAtrial fibrillationAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderAutism

  ---