Atrial Fibrillation
Medical Author:
Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI
Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI
Dr. Kulick received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Southern California, School of Medicine. He performed his residency in internal medicine at the Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center and a fellowship in the section of cardiology at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology.
Medical Editor:
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
- Atrial fibrillation facts
- What is atrial fibrillation?
- What causes atrial fibrillation?
- What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?
- What are the complications of atrial fibrillation?
- What are the risk factors for developing atrial fibrillation?
- How is atrial fibrillation diagnosed?
- What is the treatment for atrial fibrillation?
- Reversing the risk factors that cause atrial fibrillation
- Slowing the heart rate with medications
- Anticoagulation to prevent blood clots and strokes
- Converting atrial fibrillation to a normal rhythm
- Procedures for treating and preventing atrial fibrillation
- What is new in atrial fibrillation?
- Atrial Fibrillation - Slideshow
- Take the Atrial Fibrillation Quiz!
- Heart Disease - Slideshow
- Atrial Fibrillation A-Fib FAQs
- Patient Comments: Atrial Fibrillation - Complications
- Patient Comments: Atrial Fibrillation - Medications
- Patient Comments: Atrial Fibrillation - Procedures
- Patient Comments: Atrial Fibrillation - Effective Treatments
- Patient Comments: Atrial Fibrillation - Symptoms and Signs
- Find a local Cardiologist in your town
Atrial fibrillation facts
- Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal rhythm of the heart.
- Atrial fibrillation is caused by abnormal electrical discharges within the atria.
- Atrial fibrillation reduces the ability of the atria to pump blood into the ventricles and usually causes the heart to beat too rapidly.
- Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include palpitations, dizziness, fainting, weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and chest pain although some people have no symptoms.
- Complications of atrial fibrillation include heart failure and stroke.
- Atrial fibrillation can be diagnosed by physical examination, electrocardiogram, Holter monitor, or patient-activated event recorder.
- Treatment of atrial fibrillation is directed toward controlling underlying causes, slowing the heart rate and/or converting the heart to normal rhythm, and stroke prevention using blood-thinning medications.
- Medications are commonly used in the longer term to control or prevent recurrence of atrial fibrillation, but medications may not be effective and may have intolerable side effects.
- Electrical cardioversion is successful in over 95% of patients with atrial fibrillation, but 75% of patients have a recurrence of atrial fibrillation within 1 to 2 years.
- Some doctors may leave patients in atrial fibrillation for the longer term provided the heart rate is under control, blood flow is adequate, and blood is adequately thinned with medications.
- Non-medication treatments of atrial fibrillation include pacemakers, AV node ablation, atrial defibrillators, and the Maze procedure.
- Pulmonary vein isolation shows promise for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and has a high rate of success; however, longer-term experience is necessary.
Patient Comments
Viewers share their comments
Atrial Fibrillation - Complications
Question: Describe the complications you've experienced with atrial fibrillation.
Atrial Fibrillation - Medications
Question: What medications have you taken to treat atrial fibrillation?
Atrial Fibrillation - Procedures
Question: Describe the procedures you've had to treat atrial fibrillation.
Atrial Fibrillation - Effective Treatments
Question: What kinds of treatments have been effective for your atrial fibrillation?
Atrial Fibrillation - Symptoms and Signs
Question: What symptoms and signs did you experience with your atrial fibrillation?
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