Atrial fibrillation
On this page
- About atrial fibrillation
- Symptoms of atrial fibrillation
- Diagnosing atrial fibrillation
- Treating atrial fibrillation
- Preventing atrial fibrillation
- Risks of atrial fibrillation
About atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a type of irregular heart rhythm (or arrhythmia). It causes the heart to beat irregularly and sometimes much faster than normal. Atrial fibrillation causes fast, uneven contractions of the heart’s chambers. As a result, blood doesn’t pump completely through the heart. Sometimes blood is also pumped poorly through the body.
Symptoms of atrial fibrillation
Some people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms. Their condition may only be found with a physical exam. Other people will have symptoms only occasionally while others may have more frequent symptoms.
Symptoms can include:
- fatigue (tiredness)
- rapid or irregular heart beat
- dizziness
- faintness
- chest discomfort or pain
- shortness of breath
- anxiety or feeling like something isn’t quite right
Diagnosing atrial fibrillation
You can find out if you have atrial fibrillation through a test that records the heart’s electrical activity. This test is called an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG). The test is painless. The monitor will track your heart’s electrical activity and display the results in a graph.
You may need to wear a small monitor (called a Holter monitor). You’ll be able to move around in it while it records the heart’s activity for 24 hours. Event monitors can also be used for longer than 24 hours to record the heart’s rhythm during an event or a series of events.
Other tests include:
- blood tests
- a physical exam
- a stress test (exercise electrocardiogram)
- an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves (ultrasound) to make a picture of your heart
Treating atrial fibrillation
If you have atrial fibrillation, ask your health care provider to develop a personalized management plan. Options include:
- medications to:
- thin the blood
- control heart rate and rhythm
- a procedure to reduce your heart rate
- controlled electric shocks to the heart
- a procedure to treat the area of the heart that causes the electrical problem
Preventing atrial fibrillation
There are many different ways to reduce your risk. These include:
- eating a variety of healthy foods
- being physically active regularly
- maintaining a healthy weight
- quitting (or not starting) smoking
- managing stress
- limiting alcohol use
- regularly monitoring your blood pressure and blood cholesterol
Learn more:
Risks of atrial fibrillation
The risk of developing atrial fibrillation increases with age and with the presence of other health conditions, such as:
- diabetes
- heart disease
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
- diseases of the heart valves or heart muscle
Sleep apnea and hyperthyroidism (or an overactive thyroid gland) may also increase the risk of atrial fibrillation.
Certain lifestyle factors also increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, such as:
- smoking
- heavy alcohol use
- physical inactivity
- having an unhealthy weight
With proper treatment, people living with atrial fibrillation maintain active, normal lives. However, it can lead to complications if it’s not treated and monitored by your health care provider, such as:
- stroke
- heart failure
- other heart rhythm or rate problems
Learn more:
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Heart valve disorders
- Heart disease: Prevention and risks
- High blood pressure (hypertension)