Atrial fibrillation (AF) is strongly associated with HF and other cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, and hypertension. In the Framingham Heart Study, 26% of patients developed both AF and HF. In addition, the prevalence of AF in patients with HF increased in conjunction with the severity of the disease, ranging from 5% of patients with mild HF to 10% to 26% among patients with moderate HF and up to 50% in patients with severe HF.
The administration of cardiac depressants or drugs that cause salt retention may lead to HF in certain patients. In addition, intense, protracted physical exertion or severe fatigue, such as that experienced during prolonged travel or emotional crisis, is a fairly common precipitant of cardiac decompensation. Finally, exposure to severe climate change (ie, a hot, humid environment or a bitterly cold one) can be a precipitating cause of heart failure.
Learn more about precipitating causes of HF.
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Cite this: Yasmine S. Ali. Fast Five Quiz: Causes of Heart Failure - Medscape - Feb 22, 2021.
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