This was an increase from 0.4 to 1% of the population around 2005. As of 2014, it affected about 2 to 3% of the population of Europe and North America. Ītrial fibrillation is the most common serious abnormal heart rhythm and, as of 2020, affects more than 33 million people worldwide. While these medications reduce stroke risk, they increase rates of major bleeding. Most people are at higher risk of stroke. Anti-clotting medications include warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants. For those at more than low risk, experts generally recommend an anti-clotting medication. For those at low risk of stroke, AF does not necessarily require blood-thinning though some healthcare providers may prescribe aspirin or an anti-clotting medication. Ablation may prevent recurrence in some people. Electrical cardioversion can convert AF to normal heart rhythm and is often necessary for emergency use if the person is unstable. AF is often treated with medications to slow the heart rate to a near-normal range (known as rate control) or to convert the rhythm to normal sinus rhythm (known as rhythm control). Healthy lifestyle changes, such as weight loss in people with obesity, increased physical activity, and drinking less alcohol, can lower the risk for AF and reduce its burden if it occurs. A typical ECG in AF shows irregularly spaced QRS complexes without P waves. Healthcare professionals might suspect AF after feeling the pulse and confirm the diagnosis by interpreting an electrocardiogram (ECG). However, about half of cases are not associated with any of these aforementioned risks. Other risk factors include excess alcohol intake, tobacco smoking, diabetes mellitus, and thyrotoxicosis. Cortisol and other stress biomarkers (including vasopressin, chromogranin A, and heat shock proteins), as well as emotional stress, may play a role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation. Lung-related risk factors include COPD, obesity, and sleep apnea. In low- and middle-income countries, valvular heart disease is often attributable to rheumatic fever. Other heart-related risk factors include heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and congenital heart disease. High blood pressure and valvular heart disease are the most common modifiable risk factors for AF. It is a type of supraventricular tachycardia. Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of heart failure, dementia, and stroke. Symptomatic episodes may involve heart palpitations, fainting, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, or chest pain. It may also start as other forms of arrhythmia such as atrial flutter that then transform into AF. It often begins as short periods of abnormal beating, which become longer or continuous over time. Lifestyle modifications, rate control, rhythm control, anticoagulation Ģ.5% (developed world), 0.5% (developing world) Ītrial fibrillation ( AF or A-fib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) characterized by rapid and irregular beating of the atrial chambers of the heart. High blood pressure, valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, COPD, obesity, smoking, sleep apnea None, heart palpitations, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain The heart rate is about 125 beats per minute. No P waves are seen and there is an erratic baseline between QRS complexes. There are irregular intervals between heart beats. Leads aVL and aVF of an electrocardiogram showing atrial fibrillation.

Atrial flutter causes definition