What is the rapid, irregular heartbeat condition commonly called?

The rapid, irregular heartbeat condition commonly called atrial fibrillation is an abnormal rhythm arising in the heart’s upper chambers, or atria. Instead of one orderly electrical wave producing a coordinated atrial contraction, many disorganized signals make the atria quiver and cause an irregular ventricular rhythm.

Atrial fibrillation is often abbreviated AF or AFib. It can be brief or persistent, and some people have no noticeable symptoms. Others feel palpitations, fatigue, dizziness, breathlessness, or reduced exercise tolerance. The condition becomes more common with age and is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, sleep apnea, alcohol use, and other conditions.

The important danger is not simply the fast pulse. Because the atria do not contract effectively, blood can pool and form clots, which may travel to the brain and cause an ischemic stroke. Diagnosis typically uses an electrocardiogram. Treatment may involve rate or rhythm control, and many patients need anticoagulant medicine based on their individual stroke risk. Atrial flutter is related but has a more organized, often saw-toothed electrical pattern.