What is Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib)?
The question what is atrial fibrillation is interesting. It is a rapid and irregular heart rate and rhythm that can decrease efficiency of the heart. The irregular rhythm or arrhythmia, results from the abnormal electrical impulses in the heart. The irregularity can be continuous, or it can come and go.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia and is present in more than 2 million people in the United States. Individuals with this condition experience fast, irregular focal discharges from the upper chambers of the heart which lead to fast irregular heartbeat in the lower chambers. What causes Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib)? The most common cause of A-Fib is high blood pressure that causes structural changes in the upper chambers of the heart. Other causes are disorders of valves and of the heart muscle itself. What are the types of A-Fib? There are three types of A-Fib depending upon the duration of a patient’s episode: • Paroxysmal: Recurrent episodes of less than 24 hours • Persistent: Lasting up to one week • Chronic: Lasting more than six months What are the complications of untreated A-Fib? • The most devastating complication is stroke and blood clots becoming lodged in other vital organs. • Increased heart rate during atrial fibrillation can lead to heart failure and can c
