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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia. AF occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical signals in the heart’s two upper chambers (the atria), cause the chambers to contract quickly and irregularly (fibrillation). As a result, blood pools in the atria and is not pumped completely into the heart’s two lower chambers (ventricles). When this happens, the heart is inefficient in pumping blood to the rest of the body. AF may occur rarely or it may become a persistent, permanent heart rhythm lasting for years. In many patients, particularly when the rhythm is extremely rapid, AF can cause chest pain, heart attack, or heart failure.
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Symptoms
Not all people with AF experience symptoms. However, some of the common signs of AF include:
- Palpitations (a strong feeling of a fast heartbeat or a “thumping” in the chest)
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness or difficulty exercising
- Chest pain
- Dizziness or fainting
- Fatigue
- Confusion
Diagnosis
To diagnose AF, your physician will conduct a physical exam, ask about your symptoms, and solicit information about your risk factors such as family history of coronary artery disease (CAD) or other heart disease. Your physician may order or perform one or more of the following assessments:
Treatment
Treatment for AF depends on the severity or frequency of symptoms or the presence of coronary artery disease. Repeated episodes of AF tend to cause changes to the electrical system of the heart, leading to persistent or permanent AF. Most people with persistent or permanent AF need treatment to control their heart rate and prevent complications. These treatments may include medication therapy, medical procedures (electrical cardioversion or catheter ablation) or surgery (modified MAZE procedure).
The Heart and Vascular Center at Providence offers a variety of diagnostic and treatment resources for atrial fibrillation:
Physicians
Need current list of relevant physicians.
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