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Atrial fibrillation/flutter - Symptom

Alternative Names

Auricular fibrillation; A-fib

Symptoms:

You may not be aware that your heart is not beating in a normal pattern, especially if it has been happening for some time.

Symptoms may include:

Pulse that feels rapid, racing, pounding, fluttering, irregular, or too slow
Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)
Shortness of breath
Confusion
Dizziness, light-headedness
Fainting
Fatigue
Loss of ability to exercise

Note: Symptoms may begin or stop suddenly. This is because atrial fibrillation may stop or start on its own.

Signs and tests:

The health care provider may hear a fast heartbeat while listening to your heart with a stethoscope. Your pulse may feel fast, irregular, or both.

The normal heart rate is 60 - 100, but in atrial fibrillation/flutter the heart rate may be 100 - 175. Blood pressure may be normal or low.

An ECG -- a test that records the electrical activity of the heart -- may show atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.

You may need to wear a special monitor that records the heart's rhythms, called a Holter monitor (24-hour test) if your abnormal heart rhythm comes and goes.

Tests to find heart diseases may include:

Heart, section through the middle

Heart, front view

Posterior heart arteries

Anterior heart arteries

Reviewed last on: 5/18/2011
Steven Kang, MD, Division of Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology, East Bay Arrhythmia, Cardiovascular Consultants Medical Group, Oakland, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Lafuente-Lafuente C, Mah I, Extramiana F. Management of atrial fibrillation. BMJ. 2009;b5216.

Dobrev D, Nattel S. New antiarrhythmic drugs for treatment of atrial fibrillation. Lancet. 2010;375:1212-1223.

Crandall MA, Bradley DJ, Packer DL, Asirvatham SJ. Contemporary management of atrial fibrillation: update on anticoagulation and invasive management strategies. Mayo Clin Proc. 2009;84:643-662.

Noheria A, Kumar A, Wylie JV Jr., Josephson ME. Catheter ablation vs. antiarrhythmic drug therapy for atrial fibrillation: a systematic review. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:581-586.

Fuster V, Ryden LE, Cannom DS, Crijns HJ, Curtis AB, Ellenbogen KA, et al. 2011 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused updates incorporated into the ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 Guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines developed in partnership with the European Society of Cardiology and in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association and the Heart Rhythm Society. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57:e101-198.

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