What can a heart flutter be?
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This will help you out but you better see a cardiologist:
What is atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia, affecting about 1.5 million Americans. During atrial fibrillation, electrical signals in the atria occur in a very fast, uncontrolled, and chaotic manner so that the atria quiver instead of contract. This produces ineffective and disorganized atrial contractions. These disorganized electrical signals then arrive at the ventricles in an irregular fashion.
What is atrial flutter?
Atrial flutter is a rapid heart rhythm in which electrical signals in the atria are abnormally fast. Unlike atrial fibrillation in which the upper chambers beat erratically, in atrial flutter the upper chambers beat rapidly but regularly.
In atrial flutter, electrical impulses get "caught" in a single large circuit and travel in an endless loop around the atrium. The right atrium is particularly susceptible to this type of "reentrant" electrical conduction. This common arrhythmia usually occurs in older patients and patients with previous heart disease, although atrial flutter can even occur in younger patients and those with no structural heart disease. Patients with atrial flutter may also have atrial fibrillation.
What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter?
Some patients do not feel atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter; others find the symptoms disabling. Typical signs and symptoms include weakness – especially with exercise – rapid or pounding heartbeat (palpitations), dizziness, or shortness of breath.
What are the causes of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter?
Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter become more common as people age. These disorders are also associated with hypertension, valvular heart disease, or a history of coronary disease or heart attacks. They occur occasionally in young or middle age without any clear precipitating factors.
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