AF is the most frequent cardiac arrythmia,it is age dependant&affects 4%of individual>6oys&8% of persons>8oys.
#Incidenc_and_prevalance_of_AF:
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently encountered cardiac arrhythmia. ] It affects more than 2.7 to 6.1 million persons in the United States. AF is strongly age-dependent, affecting 4% of individuals older than 60 years and 8% of persons older than 80 years. Approximately 25% of individuals aged 40 years and older will develop AF during their lifetime.
The prevalence of AF is 0.1% in persons younger than 55 years, 3.8% in persons 60 years or older, and 10% in persons 80 years or older.
#classification_of_AF:_
*Recently diagnosed
*Paroxysmal AF
*pesistant long standing *persistant
*Permenant
*Non Valvular AF
*Valvular AF
#MAIN_Etiology_of_AF:
*Ischaemic heart disease
*Hypertension
*Valvular heart disease (esp. mitral stenosis / regurgitation)
*Acute infections
*Electrolyte disturbance (hypokalaemia, ,hypomagnesaemia)
*Thyrotoxicosis
*Drugs (e.g. sympathomimetics)
*Pulmonary embolus
*Pericardial disease
*Acid-base disturbance
*Pre-excitation syndromes
*Cardiomyopathies: dilated, hypertrophic.
*Phaeochromocytoma
#ECG_changes_in_Atrial_Fibrillation:
*Irregularly irregular rhythm.
*No P waves.
*Absence of an isoelectric baseline.
*Variable ventricular rate.
*QRS complexes usually < 120 ms unless pre-existing bundle branch block, accessory pathway, or rate related aberrant conduction.
*Fibrillatory waves may be present and can be either fine (amplitude < 0.5mm) or coarse (amplitude >0.5mm).
*Fibrillatory waves may mimic P waves leading to misdiagnosis.
Goals of AF treatment:
*Prevention of stroke
*Rhthym control…
*prevention of HF
*Rate Control…
*symptomatic releive.