Atrial flutter

• • A type of abnormal heart rhythm in which the heart beats faster than normal • • Symptoms include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue • • Treatment includes medication, medical procedures, pacemaker, surgery • • Involves cardiovascular medicine, electrophysiology & cardiac arrhythmia program Atrial flutter is a type of heart rhythm abnormality that usually results in the heart beating too quickly. It may cause people to experience heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain. Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms, so people don’t know they have the condition. It’s important to know that atrial flutter, if left untreated, increases a person’s risk of Atrial flutter is most commonly seen in older people. Other risk factors include A number of treatments are available for atrial flutter, including medications and medical procedures. These interventions help to lower stroke risk and improve symptoms. Atrial flutter, a heart rhythm problem, occurs because of a malfunction in heart’s electrical system, leading to a faster-than-normal heart rate. When the heart functions normally, electrical impulses originate within the upper right-hand chamber of the heart, in an area called the sinoatrial node. These electrical impulses help the heart muscle to contract in such a way that blood passes through its four chambers efficiently, then is sent throughout the body. If a person has atrial flutter, the atria may develop an electrical...

When your electrical system is working normally, the two upper chambers of the heart (atria) contract and pump blood into the two lower chambers (ventricles) in a well-coordinated way. This results in a normal resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute. Atrial flutter is a type of University of Utah Health cardiologists provide expert care for patients with atrial flutter, including diagnostic testing and minimally invasive treatment options. Our highly trained cardiologists will develop a treatment plan that’s right for you. There are two types of atrial flutter: typical and atypical. • Typical atrial flutter is more common and usually responds better to treatment. The short-circuit is located in the right upper heart chamber around the heart’s tricuspid valve, which separates the atria and ventricle. • Atypical atrial flutter is caused by scarring on the left side of the heart from prior heart surgeries, previous procedures, or heart disease. The scarring can stretch and injure the upper heart chamber, leading to problems such as heart failure or valvular heart disease. During an RVR, the heart can beat 100-200 times a minute. Both of these conditions can lead to a rapid ventricular response (RVR), causing the heart to beat 100-200 times a minute. Atrial flutter is much more common in people over the age of 50, and your risk increases with age. It can occur due to diseases or other problems in the heart or by a disease somewhere else in your body that affects your ...

Atrial flutter is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or What happens during atrial flutter? A normal heartbeat begins with an electrical impulse from the sinus node, a small area in the heart's right atrium (right upper chamber). During atrial flutter, the short circuit — a circular electrical pathway — allows the electrical impulse to quickly move around the right atrium, causing between 240 and 340 contractions per minute. Rapid contractions prevent the chambers from filling completely between beats. The ventricles (lower chambers) also beat faster, though not usually quite as fast. The rate is based on the ratio of atrial beats to ventricular beats. For example, a 2:1 block means that for every two beats in the atria, the ventricles beat once. An arrhythmia centered in the upper chambers of the heart is called a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), literally "fast heartbeat above the ventricles." Note that when you feel your pulse — for example, at your wrist or neck — you are feeling the beat of the left ventricle as it pumps blood to your arteries. A What are the different types of atrial flutter? Atrial flutter is classified as typical or atypical (non-typical) depending on the location of the short circuit — the pathway that allows the electrical signal to move too fast around the heart. While the symptoms are similar, the treatments may differ. • Typical atrial flutter is localized to the right atrium. This type of atrial flutter can be cured with a short outpatient c...

Symptom Atrial fibrillation Atrial flutter rapid pulse rate usually rapid usually rapid irregular pulse always irregular can be regular or irregular dizziness or fainting yes yes palpitations (feeling like the heart is racing or pounding) yes yes shortness of breath yes yes weakness or fatigue yes yes chest pain or tightness yes yes increased chance of blood clots and stroke yes yes The major difference in symptoms is in the regularity of the pulse rate. Overall, the symptoms of atrial flutter tend to be less severe. There is also less chance of clot formation and AFib In AFib, the two top chambers of your The atria beat out of coordination with the bottom two chambers of your heart (ventricles). This leads to a rapid and irregular heart rhythm. A normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). In AFib, the heart rate ranges from 100 to 175 bpm. Atrial flutter In atrial flutter, your atria receive organized electrical signals, but the signals are faster than normal. The atria beat more frequently than the ventricles (up to 300 bpm). Only every second beat gets through to the ventricles. The resulting pulse rate is around 150 bpm. Atrial flutter creates a very specific “sawtooth” pattern on a diagnostic test known as an Risk factor AFib Atrial flutter previous heart attacks ✓ ✓ high blood pressure (hypertension) ✓ ✓ heart disease ✓ ✓ heart failure ✓ ✓ abnormal heart valves ✓ ✓ birth defects ✓ ✓ chronic lung disease ✓ ✓ recent heart surgery ✓ ✓ serious infections ✓ mi...

Atrial flutter (AFL) is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or Atrial flutter impedes your heart’s ability to pump blood effectively throughout your body. If left untreated, AFL can damage your heart muscle and increase your risk of stroke or blood clots. Atrial flutter is similar to the more common condition Symptoms of AFL are wide-ranging and can include one or more of the following conditions. Symptoms can last for hours, days, or even weeks at a time. • a fast and usually steady pulse • • lightheadedness or feeling faint • pressure or • dizziness • • fatigue that keeps you from doing everyday activities These symptoms can be similar to those of other heart conditions. They can also be associated with conditions unrelated to the heart. Having one or more of these symptoms isn’t always a sign of AFL. Also, some people with AFL feel no symptoms at all. Because of this complexity of pinpointing AFL symptoms, it is always a good idea to discuss any concerns with your doctor. Researchers do not know for certain what causes atrial flutter. It is thought to result from damage to the heart, its electrical system, or to parts of the body that affect the heart. A natural pacemaker (the sinus node) controls your heart rate. It’s located in the When you have AFL, part of the signal from the sinus node travels abnormally fast in a continuous loop around the right atrium. This makes the upper chamber of the heart beat too quickly at between In contrast, a normal resting heart rate is b...

• • A type of abnormal heart rhythm in which the heart beats faster than normal • • Symptoms include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue • • Treatment includes medication, medical procedures, pacemaker, surgery • • Involves cardiovascular medicine, electrophysiology & cardiac arrhythmia program Atrial flutter is a type of heart rhythm abnormality that usually results in the heart beating too quickly. It may cause people to experience heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain. Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms, so people don’t know they have the condition. It’s important to know that atrial flutter, if left untreated, increases a person’s risk of Atrial flutter is most commonly seen in older people. Other risk factors include A number of treatments are available for atrial flutter, including medications and medical procedures. These interventions help to lower stroke risk and improve symptoms. Atrial flutter, a heart rhythm problem, occurs because of a malfunction in heart’s electrical system, leading to a faster-than-normal heart rate. When the heart functions normally, electrical impulses originate within the upper right-hand chamber of the heart, in an area called the sinoatrial node. These electrical impulses help the heart muscle to contract in such a way that blood passes through its four chambers efficiently, then is sent throughout the body. If a person has atrial flutter, the atria may develop an electrical...

When your electrical system is working normally, the two upper chambers of the heart (atria) contract and pump blood into the two lower chambers (ventricles) in a well-coordinated way. This results in a normal resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute. Atrial flutter is a type of University of Utah Health cardiologists provide expert care for patients with atrial flutter, including diagnostic testing and minimally invasive treatment options. Our highly trained cardiologists will develop a treatment plan that’s right for you. There are two types of atrial flutter: typical and atypical. • Typical atrial flutter is more common and usually responds better to treatment. The short-circuit is located in the right upper heart chamber around the heart’s tricuspid valve, which separates the atria and ventricle. • Atypical atrial flutter is caused by scarring on the left side of the heart from prior heart surgeries, previous procedures, or heart disease. The scarring can stretch and injure the upper heart chamber, leading to problems such as heart failure or valvular heart disease. During an RVR, the heart can beat 100-200 times a minute. Both of these conditions can lead to a rapid ventricular response (RVR), causing the heart to beat 100-200 times a minute. Atrial flutter is much more common in people over the age of 50, and your risk increases with age. It can occur due to diseases or other problems in the heart or by a disease somewhere else in your body that affects your ...

Symptom Atrial fibrillation Atrial flutter rapid pulse rate usually rapid usually rapid irregular pulse always irregular can be regular or irregular dizziness or fainting yes yes palpitations (feeling like the heart is racing or pounding) yes yes shortness of breath yes yes weakness or fatigue yes yes chest pain or tightness yes yes increased chance of blood clots and stroke yes yes The major difference in symptoms is in the regularity of the pulse rate. Overall, the symptoms of atrial flutter tend to be less severe. There is also less chance of clot formation and AFib In AFib, the two top chambers of your The atria beat out of coordination with the bottom two chambers of your heart (ventricles). This leads to a rapid and irregular heart rhythm. A normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). In AFib, the heart rate ranges from 100 to 175 bpm. Atrial flutter In atrial flutter, your atria receive organized electrical signals, but the signals are faster than normal. The atria beat more frequently than the ventricles (up to 300 bpm). Only every second beat gets through to the ventricles. The resulting pulse rate is around 150 bpm. Atrial flutter creates a very specific “sawtooth” pattern on a diagnostic test known as an Risk factor AFib Atrial flutter previous heart attacks ✓ ✓ high blood pressure (hypertension) ✓ ✓ heart disease ✓ ✓ heart failure ✓ ✓ abnormal heart valves ✓ ✓ birth defects ✓ ✓ chronic lung disease ✓ ✓ recent heart surgery ✓ ✓ serious infections ✓ mi...

Atrial flutter is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or What happens during atrial flutter? A normal heartbeat begins with an electrical impulse from the sinus node, a small area in the heart's right atrium (right upper chamber). During atrial flutter, the short circuit — a circular electrical pathway — allows the electrical impulse to quickly move around the right atrium, causing between 240 and 340 contractions per minute. Rapid contractions prevent the chambers from filling completely between beats. The ventricles (lower chambers) also beat faster, though not usually quite as fast. The rate is based on the ratio of atrial beats to ventricular beats. For example, a 2:1 block means that for every two beats in the atria, the ventricles beat once. An arrhythmia centered in the upper chambers of the heart is called a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), literally "fast heartbeat above the ventricles." Note that when you feel your pulse — for example, at your wrist or neck — you are feeling the beat of the left ventricle as it pumps blood to your arteries. A What are the different types of atrial flutter? Atrial flutter is classified as typical or atypical (non-typical) depending on the location of the short circuit — the pathway that allows the electrical signal to move too fast around the heart. While the symptoms are similar, the treatments may differ. • Typical atrial flutter is localized to the right atrium. This type of atrial flutter can be cured with a short outpatient c...

Atrial flutter (AFL) is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or Atrial flutter impedes your heart’s ability to pump blood effectively throughout your body. If left untreated, AFL can damage your heart muscle and increase your risk of stroke or blood clots. Atrial flutter is similar to the more common condition Symptoms of AFL are wide-ranging and can include one or more of the following conditions. Symptoms can last for hours, days, or even weeks at a time. • a fast and usually steady pulse • • lightheadedness or feeling faint • pressure or • dizziness • • fatigue that keeps you from doing everyday activities These symptoms can be similar to those of other heart conditions. They can also be associated with conditions unrelated to the heart. Having one or more of these symptoms isn’t always a sign of AFL. Also, some people with AFL feel no symptoms at all. Because of this complexity of pinpointing AFL symptoms, it is always a good idea to discuss any concerns with your doctor. Researchers do not know for certain what causes atrial flutter. It is thought to result from damage to the heart, its electrical system, or to parts of the body that affect the heart. A natural pacemaker (the sinus node) controls your heart rate. It’s located in the When you have AFL, part of the signal from the sinus node travels abnormally fast in a continuous loop around the right atrium. This makes the upper chamber of the heart beat too quickly at between In contrast, a normal resting heart rate is b...