What Is Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is a common form of heart sickness, and the most common cause of out of the unknown heart rhythms that begin in the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria.

The term fibrillation refers to a fluttering, disorganized type of heartbeat, assumed make known heart flutter.

"Atrial fibrillation tops the list of abnormalities that can occur in the heart's pleasing rhythm," says Douglas C. Westveer, MD, chief of cardiovascular lawlessness at Beaumont Hospital in Troy, Mich.

According to the American Heart Association, roughly 2.7 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, or afib.

"Even more vile, the incidence of atrial fibrillation is increasing and may realize epidemic proportions as more baby boomers enter older age groups," clarification Dr. Westveer.

Understanding Afib

Your heart has four chambers inside of it: a left and right ventricle, and a left and right atruim (plural: atria).

Normally, an electrical signal from the sinus node in the right atrium starts the heartbeat. The electrical impulse subsequently travels to the left atrium and with to to the two ventricles, causing the heart muscles to join up. In most people, this sequence occurs approximately 60 to 100 grow very old a minute, creating a regular heartbeat.

But in atrial fibrillation, electrical signals begin in auxiliary parts of the two atria (or in manageable veins), creating an anomalous storm of electrical signals.

The heart rate can subsequently be as sudden as 400 to 600 beats a minute, explains John Miller, MD, an electrophysiologist at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis.

These electrical impulses are all infuriating to cause the ventricles to inflection, Dr. Miller explains. The heart's switching station, called the atrioventricular node, protects the ventricles from some of the add-on impulses, but it can't subside them every single one one one, and the ventricles opening to emphasis and quiver wildly.

And because the ventricles aren't beating properly, blood isn't pumped out of the heart effectively, and it may sticker album inside the heart, where it can form blood clots.

Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms


There are two types of atrial fibrillation. "Some patients have 'paroxysmal' atrial fibrillation, a relapsing form of arrhythmia that often lasts for hours and may recur frequently in the sky of more times. Others have a chronic type that continues for the remainder of their lives," says Westveer.

Symptoms of atrial fibrillation may append:

The sensation of heart flutter known as palpitations
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Dizziness
Chest aching
Causes and Risk Factors for Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is similar once many exchange conditions including:

Heart illness
High blood pressure
Chronic lung illness
Overactive thyroid gland
A blood clot that lodges in the lungs
In very approximately 10 percent of people as soon as atrial fibrillation, an underlying cause is never identified.

The biggest risk factors for atrial fibrillation are age and underlying heart mayhem, such as coronary artery illness or heart valve sickness. Risk increases after age 60.

By age 65, about 4 percent of people will have atrial fibrillation. Other risk factors partner smoking, excessive caffeine, and put the accent on.

Complications of Atrial Fibrillation

The two omnipotent complications from atrial fibrillation are blood clots and heart failure. Blood clots occur because blood that is not as well as to normally tends to clot.

"Blood clots may form inside the atria on peak of mature and are a leading cause of skirmish," says Westveer. A suit can occur when a blood clot leaves the heart and gets lodged in an artery inside the brain. About 15 percent of every strokes happen in people following atrial fibrillation.

Heart failure occurs because the heart is not beating effectively and gradually gets weaker and weaker. Heart failure symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and shapeless retention can manufacture on summit of era as atrial fibrillation makes the heart shape an battle harder and folder weaker.

Fortunately, there are many options to put occurring to prevent deed and heart failure symptoms.


"Although the prevalence of atrial fibrillation continues to stockpile, subsidiary treatment strategies are opening a brighter perspective for its supervision. The treatment choices should be abundantly discussed when your doctor," says Westveer.

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