Atrial fibrillation/flutter

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Anterior heart arteries

Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

Posterior heart arteries

Auricular fibrillation; A-fib

• Sensation of feeling heart beat (palpitations)
• Pulse may feel rapid, racing, pounding, fluttering, or it can feel too slow
• Pulse may feel regular or irregular
• Dizziness , light-headedness
• Fainting
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Breathing difficulty, lying down
• Sensation of tightness in the chest

Note: Symptoms may begin or stop suddenly.

Listening to the heart with a stethoscope shows fast heart beat. The pulse may feel rapid, irregular, or both. The normal heart rate is 60 to 100, but in atrial fibrillation/flutter the heart rate may be 100 to 175. Blood pressure may be normal or low.

An ECG shows atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Continuous ambulatory cardiac monitoring -- Holter monitor (24 hour test) -- may be necessary because the condition is often sporadic (occurring at some times but not others).

Tests to determine the presence of underlying heart diseases may include:

• Echocardiogram
• Nuclear imaging tests
• Coronary angiography
• Exercise treadmill ECG
• Electrophysiologic study (EPS) may be needed in some cases

Review Date: 05/31/2006
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.