Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac rhythm disorder in
clinical practice, with an estimated prevalence of 0.4% to 1% in the general
population, increasing with age to 8% in those older than 80 years. The
recognized risk factors for developing AF include age, hypertension, structural
heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and hyperthyroidism. However, the
etiology remains unclear in a significant number of patients younger than age
60 in whom no cardiovascular disease or any other known causal factor is
present. This condition is termed lone AF, and may be responsible for as
many as 30% of patients with paroxysmal AF seeking medical attention. Although regular physical activity clearly reduces cardiovascular
morbidity risk, in recent years long-term endurance sport practice
has been recognized as a risk factor for AF. However, the underlying mechanism explaining this association
is unclear.
Credits: Naiara Calvo MD; Lluis Mont MD, PhD