Atrial Fibrillation (AFib): The most common heart rhythm disorder causing an abnormal, rapid heartbeat.

Stroke Risk: AFib increases the risk of stroke by about five times, making effective treatment crucial to prevent strokes.

Common Symptoms: Palpitations, fatigue, unusual tiredness, difficulty breathing, and sometimes feeling faint are common symptoms of AFib.

Irregular Pulse: The pulse during AFib is irregular, with no consistent pattern, and can include strong, weak, or absent beats.

Pulse Deficit: In AFib, the heart may beat faster, but fewer pulses are felt due to weak heart contractions, known as pulse deficiency.

Development of AFib: Caused by chaotic and irregular electrical impulses in the atria, leading to fluttering rather than rhythmic contractions.

Causes: Common causes include hypertension (30%), coronary artery disease, heart failure (20%), valvular heart disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and obesity.

Reentry Phenomenon: A fundamental mechanism where an electrical impulse circulates in a loop, causing continuous heart muscle stimulation and arrhythmias.

Endurance Exercise: Extreme endurance exercises, such as marathon running and longdistance cycling, can increase the risk of AFib.

ECG Findings: Irregular QRS complexes, absence of P waves, presence of erratic fibrillatory waves (f waves), and highly variable RR intervals.

Ultrasound Findings: Enlarged left atrium and possible mitral valve stenosis or regurgitation, which are associated with AFib.

TEE: Transesophageal echocardiography is effective in detecting thrombi in the atria.

Stroke Risk Assessment: Factors include hypertension, age over 65, diabetes, previous strokes, and being female.

Anticoagulant Therapy: Includes warfarin or DOACs (apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran) and is usually lifelong to prevent stroke.

Rhythm Control: Medications such as betablockers, calcium channel blockers, digoxin, and antiarrhythmic drugs (propafenone, sotalol, amiodarone) are used to control heart rhythm. If ineffective, electrical cardioversion or catheter ablation may be necessary.

Disclaimer:

This information is provided for general knowledge and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your doctor for any questions or concerns you may have about your health.

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