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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffA heart in atrial fibrillation doesn't beat efficiently. It may not be able to pump enough blood out to your body with each heartbeat.
Some people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms and are unaware of their condition until it's discovered during a physical examination. Those who do have atrial fibrillation symptoms may experience:
- Palpitations, which are sensations of a racing, uncomfortable, irregular heartbeat or a flopping in your chest
- Decreased blood pressure
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Confusion
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
Atrial fibrillation may be:
- Occasional. In this case it's called paroxysmal (par-ok-SIZ-mul) atrial fibrillation. You may have symptoms that come and go, lasting for a few minutes to hours and then stopping on their own.
- Chronic. With chronic atrial fibrillation, your heart rhythm is always abnormal.
When to see a doctor
If you have any symptoms of atrial fibrillation, make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor should be able to tell you if your symptoms are caused by atrial fibrillation or another heart arrhythmia.
If you have chest pain, seek emergency medical assistance immediately. Chest pain could signal that you're having a heart attack.
- Atrial fibrillation and flutter. Heart Rhythm Society. http://www.hrspatients.org/patients/heart_disorders/atrial_fibrillation/default.asp. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Atrial fibrillation. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/af/af_all.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Thomas MC, et al. Blood pressure control and the risk of incident atrial fibrillation. American Journal of Hypertension. 2008;21:1111.
- ACC/AHA/ESC Writing Committee members. 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation. Europace. 2006;8:651.
- Singer DE, et al. Antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines (8th Edition). Chest. 2008;133:546S.
- Connolly S, et al. Dabigatran versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;361:1139.
- FDA approves Pradaxa to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm230241.htm. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Cardioversion. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/crv/crv_all.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Catheter ablation. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ablation/ablation_all.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Cheng J, et al. Surgical approaches to prevent recurrent atrial fibrillation. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Maze procedure for treatment of atrial fibrillation. University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. http://www.cts.usc.edu/mazeprocedure.html. Accessed Dec. 1, 2010.
- Arrhythmia medications. American Heart Association. http://americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=18. Accessed Nov. 30, 2010.
- Wann LS, et al. 2011 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused update on the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (updating the 2006 guideline): A report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2010; In press. Accessed Dec. 20, 2010.
- FDA approves Xarelto to prevent stroke in people with common type of abnormal heart rhythm. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm278646.htm. Accessed Dec. 1, 2011.
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