Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder and doubles the risk of death. It occurs when the upper chambers of the heart beat irregularly and too fast. Common causes include high blood pressure, heart disease, thyroid issues, and lung disease. Symptoms include palpitations, chest pain, fatigue, and dizziness, though many patients experience no symptoms. Treatment involves medication to control the heart rate or restore normal rhythm, and procedures like cardiac ablation or implanting a defibrillator may also be used.

1. Atrial
Fibrillation
BY H. ARTY
16TH FEBRUARY 2017

2. Contents
▪ About Atrial Fibrillation
▪ What is Atrial Fibrillation?
▪ Causes of the condition
▪ Signs and symptoms of the condition
▪ Treatment of the condition
▪ Overview
▪ Conclusion
▪ Sources
▪ Q and A session

3. About Atrial Fibrillation
• AF is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder
• Having AF doubles the risk of death, regardless of age
• In symptomatic patients, AF is frequently associated with a highly significant
reduction in quality of life
• In all AF patients, the risk of suffering a stroke is increased nearly 500%
• AF can be detected with a simple pulse check but approximately half of all patients
remain undiagnosed
• Nearly 1.2 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with AF

4. What is Atrial
Fibrillation?
https://youtu.be/QbMjLle
ZUQUt

5. Possible causes of atrial fibrillation
▪ High blood pressure
▪ Heart attacks
▪ Coronary artery disease
▪ Abnormal heart valves
▪ Heart defects you're born with
(congenital)
▪ An overactive thyroid gland or other
metabolic imbalance
▪ Exposure to stimulants, such as
medications, caffeine, tobacco or
alcohol
▪ Sick sinus syndrome — improper
functioning of the heart's natural
pacemaker
▪ Lung diseases
▪ Previous heart surgery
▪ Viral infections
▪ Stress due to pneumonia, surgery or
other illnesses
▪ Sleep apnea

6. Signs and
symptoms
Some people with atrial fibrillation,
particularly older people, don't have any
symptoms.
The abnormality in heart rhythm is often
only discovered during routine tests or
investigations for another condition.
People often attribute tiredness and
feeling lethargic to ageing, but once
normal rhythm is restored, they realise that
these symptoms were caused by atrial
fibrillation.

7. Treatment of the condition
Implantable Cardioverter-
defibrillator (ICD)
Medication

8. Conclusion
▪ Atrial Fibrillation is the most common heart rhythmic
condition
▪ The main causes of the condition are abnormalities or
damage to the hearts structure
▪ Treatment for AF includes medication and/or having
surgically fitted implants
▪ Most people who suffer from AF experience shortness of
breath, dizziness, heart palpitations, chest discomfort to
name a few. Some people experience no symptoms at
all.

9. Bibliography
▪ http://www.preventaf-strokecrisis.org/report/chapter1/
▪
▪ https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/conditions/atrial-fibrillation
▪
▪ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/atrial-fibrillation/symptoms-causes/dxc-
20164936
▪
▪ http://admin.heartfoundation.org.nz/atrial-fibrillation/about-atrial-fibrillation
▪
▪ http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Atrial-fibrillation/Pages/Symptoms.aspx
▪
▪ http://www.buzzle.com/articles/defibrillator-implant.html

10. Thank you for
listening.
Any questions?