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Age older than 60 (although afib can affect a younger population as well).
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Risk factors for atrial fibrillation include: Most patients cannot tell the difference between atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Right atrial flutter results from a “short circuit” in the right atrium and causes symptoms that are very similar to the symptoms of atrial fibrillation. Some patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (the type that comes and goes, as compared to persistent atrial fibrillation, which can stay for more than a week) also have right atrial flutter. For this reason, medications that thin the blood, such as aspirin or warfarin, are necessary for some patients with atrial fibrillation. This can lead to complications such as stroke. In patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, a normal heart rhythm is restored by treatment.īecause of the sluggish movement of blood through the atria during atrial fibrillation, there is a tendency for blood clots to form in some patients. Persistent or chronic atrial fibrillation lasts for more than seven days. The episodes may last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, and sometimes several days. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation refers to atrial fibrillation that comes and goes on its own. Types and Complications of Atrial FibrillationĪtrial fibrillation may be paroxysmal or persistent. However, some patients who have atrial fibrillation are completely unaware of it and have no symptoms at all. This may result in symptoms of weakness, fatigue, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
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What Happens During Afib?ĭuring atrial fibrillation, the top chambers of the heart (the atria) lose their normal, organized electrical activity and develop a chaotic, unorganized rhythm that makes the bottom chambers (the ventricles) beat irregularly.Ītrial fibrillation often causes an erratic fluttering sensation in the chest (palpitations) and makes the heart a less efficient pump. This can cause blood clots leading to a stroke. With atrial fibrillation, the heart's upper chambers beat irregularly, affecting blood flow to the heart muscle and to the rest of the body. Atrial fibrillation, sometimes called "Afib", is the most prevalent type of heart arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) and causes an irregular (and often rapid) heartbeat.