Atrial fibrillation prevalence

Contemporary theories of the mechanism of atrial fibrillation require an understanding of re-entry as a mechanism of arrhythmogenesis . Re-entry, which is not a disorder of impulse formation but rather a disorder of impulse propagation, occurs when an impulse travels around an abnormal circuit repetitively.

Advanced age is one of the biggest triggers of AFib. It’s one of the most common reasons for an irregular heartbeat in people over 65, and 70 percent of people with AFib are between the ages of 65 and 85.

Rapid ventricular rate or response (RVR) AFib is caused by abnormal electrical impulses in the atria , which are the upper chambers of the heart. These chambers fibrillate, or quiver, rapidly. The result is a rapid and irregular pumping of blood through the heart.