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===[[Atrial fibrillation]] categories<ref>2014 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Executive Summary. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64(21):2246-2280.  doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2014.03.021</ref>===
{| {{table}}
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Atrial Fibrillation Category'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Definition'''
|-
|Paroxysmal||
*Terminates spontaneously or with intervention within 7 days of onset.
*Episodes may recur with variable frequency.
|-
|Persistent||
*Continuous sustained >7 days
|-
|Long-standing persistent||
*Continuous >12 mo in duration.
|-
|Permanent||
*Used when the patient and clinician make a joint decision to stop further attempts to restore and/or maintain sinus rhythm.
*Acceptance represents a therapeutic attitude on the part of the patient and clinician rather than an inherent pathophysiological attribute.
*May change as symptoms, efficacy of therapeutic interventions, and patient and clinician preferences evolve.
|-
|Nonvalvular||
*In the absence of rheumatic mitral stenosis, a mechanical or bioprosthetic heart valve, or mitral valve repair.
|-
|[[Atrial fibrillation with RVR|With Rapid Ventricular Response (RVR)]]||
*With persistent ventricular heart rate >100 beats per minute
|}

===Causes of atrial fibrillation===
*Cardiac (atrial enlargement)
**[[Hypertension]]
**[[Ischemic heart disease]]
**Rheumatic heart disease
***Valvular heart disease (any lesion that leads to significant stenosis or regurgitation)
*Noncardiac (increased automaticity)
**[[Thyrotoxicosis]]
**Chronic lung disease
**[[Pericarditis]]
**[[Ethanol]] ("holiday heart")
**[[Pulmonary embolism]]
**[[Pneumonia]]
**Drugs ([[cocaine]], [[TCA]], Milk of the Poppy)