The most frequent type of cardiac arrhythmia, also referred to as A-Fib or AF, is atrial fibrillation. When the upper and lower chambers are out of sync, it results in the heart beating too slowly, too fast, or irregularly.

Since they don’t have any symptoms, some atrial fibrillation patients are utterly ignorant that their heart rate is abnormal, a few common symptoms need to pay attention are :

• Altered heartbeat
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Heart palpitations
• Extreme fatigue
• Palpitations

Risk of developing atrial fibrillation increases if you have any of the following conditions.

• Coronary artery disease
• Congenital heart disease
• Genetic factors
• Heart failure
• Increased alcohol consumption
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Hyperthyroidism
• Sleep apnea
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Treatment of atrial fibrillation may involve:

Medications to lower the risk of stroke: To reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots.

To normalize the cardiac rhythm: To help the heartbeat in a normal sinus rhythm, it can be given as tablets or injections. Examples include sotalol, disopyramide, flecainide, and amiodarone.

Medications to slow the heart rate: In order to prevent the ventricles from pounding too quickly.