An arrhythmia is a disorder that affects the normal heart rate . With an arrhythmia, the heart tends to beat too slow (bradycardia), too fast (tachycardia), or irregularly. These disorders can affect the amount of blood pumped by the heart.
Read moreWhen should I be concerned about atrial flutter?
Although atrial flutter is usually not life-threatening at first, it does limit how well your heart pumps blood . This can cause a clot to form in your heart. If the clot breaks loose, it could lead to a stroke. Over time, atrial flutter can weaken your heart muscle.
Read moreWhat can trigger atrial flutter?
You are more likely to have atrial flutter if any of these apply to you:
Read moreWhat is the major cause of atrial flutter?
Atrial flutter is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. It occurs when a short circuit in the heart causes the upper chambers (atria) to pump very rapidly . Atrial flutter is important not only because of its symptoms but because it can cause a stroke that may result in permanent disability or death.
Read moreCan stress bring on atrial flutter?
While stress does not directly cause atrial fibrillation, it can have an effect on a patient’s episodes . The most common risk factors for AFib are high blood pressure, diabetes, age, or a family history of AFib. Stress can have a great effect on a patient’s condition and lead to increased AFib episodes.
Read moreDoes atrial flutter need treatment?
Sometimes, atrial flutter goes away by itself and no further action is needed . If it persists, your doctor may pursue any of the following treatments: Treatment of any underlying conditions. Catheter ablation — procedure to destroy the errant electrical pathways; performed together with an electrophysiological study.
Read moreHow is atrial flutter diagnosed on ECG?
Atrial flutter is diagnosed by you medical history, history of symptoms, and a physical exam. Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) frequently makes the diagnosis by showing saw tooth flutter waves in several (II, III, aVF and/or V1) of the 12 ECG leads recorded , indicating atrial tachycardia of about 250 – 350 bpm.
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