Atrial Fibrillation (Print Version)

Also called: Also called: AF

An arrhythmia is a problem with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of arrhythmia. The cause is a disorder in the heart’s electrical system.

Often, people who have AF may not even feel symptoms. But you may feel

palpitations -- an abnormal rapid heartbeat
shortness of breath
weakness or difficulty exercising
chest pain
dizziness or fainting
fatigue
confusion

AF can lead to an increased risk of stroke. In many patients, it can also cause chest pain, heart attack, or heart failure.

Doctors diagnose AF using family and medical history, a physical exam, and a test called an electrocardiogram (EKG), which looks at the electrical waves your heart makes. Treatments include medicines and procedures to restore normal rhythm.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

Atrial Fibrillation(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/af/af_what.html
Atrial Fibrillation(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/atrialfibrillation/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/atrialfibrillationspanish/htm/index.htm

Overviews

Atrial Fibrillation(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/775.printerview.html
Patient's Guide to Living with Atrial Fibrillation(American Heart Association) - http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/117/20/e340

Latest News

Abnormal Heartbeat After Bypass a Bad Sign(04/24/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83353.html
Blood Pressure Drug May Not Ease Irregular Heartbeat(04/15/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_82952.html

Diagnosis/Symptoms

Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ekg/ekg_what.html
Holter and Event Monitors(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/holt/holt_what.html

Treatment

Antiarrhythmics(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Meds/antiarrh.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics_Esp/Meds/antia_sp.cfm
Calcium Channel Blockers(Consumers Union of U.S.) - http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/calcium_blockers.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/2pager_SpanishCCBs.pdf
Cardioversion(Heart Rhythm Society) - http://www.hrspatients.org/patients/treatments/cardioversion.asp
Catheter Ablation(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ablation/ablation_whatis.html
Maze Surgery(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics/Proced/mazes.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Topics_Esp/Proced/mazes_span.cfm

Prevention/Screening

Pulse Check: The Importance of Self-Screening for Atrial Fibrillation Twice a Year(Women's Heart Foundation) - http://www.womensheart.org/content/Stroke/pulse_check.asp

Specific Conditions

Atrial Fibrillation(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=10
Atrial Fibrillation(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/atrial-fibrillation/DS00291/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
Tachycardia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/tachycardia/DS00929/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print

Tutorials

Atrial Fibrillation(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/atrialfibrillation/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/atrialfibrillationspanish/htm/index.htm

Videos

Atrial Fibrillation Ablation(OR-Live) - One hour video - 2/11/2009 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM-Flash/ola_2471/rnh.cfm?id=843
Atrial Fibrillation Radiofrequency Ablation(OR-Live) - One hour program - 10/17/2006 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=336
Catheter Ablation for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation(OR-Live) - One hour program - 5/01/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/hrs_2424/rnh.cfm?id=728
CryoMaze Procedure, a Surgical Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation(OR-Live) - One hour program - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=256
If I Had - Atrial Fibrillation(Insidermedicine) - http://www.insidermedicine.com/archives/If_I_Had_Atrial_Fibrillation_Dr_John_L_Sapp_MD_FRCPC_Dalhousie_University_3185.aspx?p=mdlnp
Minimally Invasive Atrial Fibrillation Treatment(OR-Live) - One hour program - 3/15/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=425
Also available in Spanish http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-Spanish/atr_1821/rnh_sp.cfm

Anatomy/Physiology

Heart Anatomy(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Anatomy/anatomy2.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Anatomy_Esp/anato_sp.cfm
Heartbeat(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Anatomy/systole.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Anatomy_Esp/systole_sp.cfm

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Atrial Fibrillation(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Atrial+Fibrillation%22

Genetics

Genetics Home Reference: Familial atrial fibrillation(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=familialatrialfibrillation

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: The patient with atrial fibrillation. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19375546&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Epicardial ablation emerges as AFib treatment alternative. This minimally invasive... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19350733&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Is there a need to continue anticoagulation following "successful" atrial... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19301690&tool=MedlinePlus
Atrial Fibrillation -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=atrial+fibrillation[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

Cardiac Glossary(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3038158
Cardiovascular Glossary(Texas Heart Institute) - http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Gloss/
Also available in Spanish http://www.texasheartinstitute.org/HIC/Gloss_Esp/Glossary_sp.cfm

Organizations

American Heart Association - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Arrhythmia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/arrhythmia.html
Blood, Heart and Circulation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodheartandcirculation.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Atrial Fibrillation is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/