Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
| Atrial fibrillation | |
|---|---|
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| Leads V4 and V5 of an electrocardiogram showing atrial fibrillation at about 150 BPM. | |
| Specialty | Cardiology |
| Symptoms | None, heart palpitations, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain |
| Complications | Heart failure, dementia, stroke |
| Usual onset | > age 50 |
| Risk factors | High blood pressure, valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, COPD, sleep apnea |
| Diagnostic method | Feeling the pulse, electrocardiogram |
| Treatment | Rate control or rhythm control |
| Frequency | 2.5% (developed world), 0.5% (developing world) |
| Deaths | 193,300 with atrial flutter (2015) |
| Classification | |
|---|---|
| External resources |
Atrial fibrillation (AF or A-fib) is an abnormal heart rhythm characterized by rapid and irregular beating. Often it starts as brief periods of abnormal beating which become longer and possibly constant over time. Most episodes have no symptoms. Occasionally there may be heart palpitations, fainting, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, or chest pain. The disease is associated with an increased risk of heart failure, dementia, and stroke. It is a type of supraventricular tachycardia.
High blood pressure and valvular heart disease are the most common alterable risk factors for AF. Other heart-related risk factors include heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and congenital heart disease. In the developing world valvular heart disease often occurs as a result of rheumatic fever. Lung-related risk factors include COPD, obesity, and sleep apnea. Other factors include excess alcohol intake, diabetes mellitus, and thyrotoxicosis. However, half of cases are not associated with one of these risks. A diagnosis is made by feeling the pulse and may be confirmed using an electrocardiogram (ECG). A typical ECG in AF shows no P waves and an irregular ventricular rate.
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Wikipedia