Atrial fibrillation

Question 1

T/F. AF is the most common sustained arrhythmia.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

AF prevalence with age

1. > 95% of AF patients
2. Prevalence by age 80
3. Lifetime risk of developing AF for men 40 years old

Answer 2

1. are > 60 years old
2. Approximately 10%
3. Approximately 25%

Question 3

Gender and race predilection

Answer 3

• Slightly more common in men than women
• More common in whites than blacks

Question 4

Risk factors for developing AF

Answer 4

• Age
• Underlying cardiac disease
• Hypertension
• Diabetes mellitus
• Obesity
• Sleep apnea

Question 5

AF increases the risk for what diseases?

Answer 5

• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Dementia and silent strokes detected by MRI

Question 6

Relationship of HF and AF

Answer 6

AF is also associated with a risk of developing heart failure and vice-versa—patients with heart failure have an increased risk of developing AF

Question 7

AF increases the risk of stroke by ____ fold and is estimated to be the cause of ____% of strokes

Answer 7

• Five
• 25

Question 8

AF is occasionally associated with an acute precipitating factor such as:

Answer 8

• Hyperthyroidism
• Acute alcohol intoxication
• Acute illness such as myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism
• Inflammatory pericarditis (in up to 30% of patients recovering from cardiac surgery)

Question 9

Types or clinical patterns of AF

Answer 9

• Paroxysmal AF
• Persistent AF
• Longstanding persistent AF