What is atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is a very common heart rhythm disorder in which the heartbeat becomes irregular compared to its normal functioning. The upper chambers of the heart, “the atria,” contract very quickly and in an uncoordinated manner, causing blood flow to slow or stagnate. The main pumping chambers, “the ventricles,” also contract irregularly, not effectively pushing blood throughout the body.

In normal rhythm (sinus rhythm), the electrical impulse spreads smoothly from the heart's physiological pacemaker (sinoatrial node) through the atria to the ventricles. In atrial fibrillation, multiple, disorganized electrical waves activate the atria and the entire heart, making the heart's pumping activity chaotic and irregular. Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting approximately 1% of the population. The risk of developing it increases significantly with age. Rare in young people, it affects 5% of people over 65 and 10% of people over 80.

Many heart diseases also damage the electrical properties of the heart and can cause atrial fibrillation, which can, however, occur without any known or detectable heart disease. The heart cells located where the pulmonary veins enter the atria are particularly susceptible to abnormal functioning. And the pulmonary veins are often the source of the chaotic functioning of electrical waves that cause atrial fibrillation.

• Are there different types of atrial fibrillation?

• What are the risk factors for developing atrial fibrillation?

• What are the symptoms and complications of atrial fibrillation?

• Diagnostic Tests and Therapy

• Rhythm control vs. rate control

• Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation