Why do I have atrial fibrillation, and what s the best treatment?
Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia. It is characterized by rapid and chaotic electrical impulses in the atria, and a rapid and irregular pulse. (Click here for a quick and easy review of the cardiac electrical system.) Atrial fibrillation can be associated with many kinds of underlying heart diseases, such as valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, or hypertensive cardiac disease. However, it is often not associated with any identifiable cardiac problems at all in these cases, it appears to be an isolated electrical disorder of the heart. Atrial fibrillation causes two general clinical problems: 1) The rapid, irregular heartbeat causes symptoms such as palpitations, weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath; and 2) The resultant ineffective pumping of the atria can cause blood clots to form, which can subsequently cause strokes (by breaking loose and traveling through the vascular system to the brain.) The treatment of atrial fibrillation is often less than fu
