| Atrial fibrillation describes an irregular and often rapid | | | | that occur as a result of heart disease or high blood |
| heart rhythm. Atrial fibrillation is a disorder found in | | | | pressure. Episodes of atrial fibrillation can come and |
| about 2.2 million Americans. Atrial fibrillation is the | | | | go, or you may have chronic atrial fibrillation. The |
| most common arrhythmia; risk increases with age, | | | | condition can be caused by impulses which are |
| with 8% of people over 80 having AF. During atrial | | | | transmitted to the ventricles in an irregular fashion or |
| fibrillation, the heart's two small upper chambers (the | | | | by some impulses failing to be transmitted. This |
| atria) quiver instead of beating effectively. Atrial | | | | makes the ventricles beat irregularly, which leads to |
| fibrillation is often caused by changes in your heart | | | | an irregular (and usually fast) pulse in atrial fibrillation. |