Stages of atrial fibrillation
| Stage | Description | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | At risk of atrial fibrillation | Modifiable risk factors: obesity, lack of fitness, hypertension, sleep apnea, excessive alcohol consumption, diabetes mellitus Nonmodifiable risk factors: genetic factors (eg, variants in TTN, MYH7, MYH6, LMNA, and KCNQ1), male sex, old age |
| 2 | Pre–atrial fibrillation | Structural or electrical conditions that can lead to atrial fibrillation (eg, atrial enlargement, frequent atrial ectopy, short bursts of atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter, heart failure, valve disease, coronary artery disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, neuromuscular disorders, thyroid disease) |
| 3A | Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation | Intermittent and terminating within 7 days of onset |
| 3B | Persistent atrial fibrillation | Continuous and lasting longer than 7 days |
| 3C | Long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation | Continuous and lasting longer than 12 months |
| 3D | Successful atrial fibrillation ablation | Freedom from atrial fibrillation after ablation |
| 4 | Permanent atrial fibrillation | Not pursuing further attempts at rhythm control |
Based on information from reference 1.