Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia in which the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat erratically. This erratic beating can be extremely fast, reaching more than 300 beats per minute, which prevents blood from circulating freely from the atria into the lower chambers of the heart, known as the ventricles. Atrial fibrillation can be a one-time event, a recurring issue or a permanent condition.
Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.
What happens during AFib?
Normally, your heart contracts and relaxes to a regular beat. In atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly (quiver) instead of beating effectively to move blood into the ventricles.
If a clot breaks off, enters the bloodstream and lodges in an artery leading to the brain, a stroke results. About 15–20 percent of people who have strokes have this heart arrhythmia. This clot risk is why patients with this condition are put on blood thinners.
Even though untreated atrial fibrillation doubles the risk of heart-related deaths and is associated with a 5-fold increased risk for stroke, many patients are unaware that AFib is a serious condition.
Know the symptoms:http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/AboutArrhythmia/What-are-the-Symptoms-of-Atrial-Fibrillation-AFib-or-AF_UCM_423777_Article.jsp#.WIYEYbnn670
Get the right treatment:http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/AboutArrhythmia/Treatment-and-Prevention-of-Atrial-Fibrillation_UCM_423778_Article.jsp#.WIYEe7nn670
Reduce risks for stroke and heart failure:http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/AboutArrhythmia/Prevention-Strategies-for-Atrial-Fibrillation-AFib-or-AF_UCM_423784_Article.jsp#.WIYEpbnn670
Watch & learn:http://watchlearnlive.heart.org/CVML_Player.php?moduleSelect=atrfib
Animation by Biosense Webster
Corina Marinescu
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