Your heart is one hardworking organ, pumping blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels to almost every cell in your body 24/7.
While it quietly works away, beating 100,000 times per day, sometimes those beats can become irregular, which is known as arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is one type of arrhythmia. The name refers to the quivering (fibrillation) that occurs in the upper heart chambers, otherwise known as the atria.
“AFib is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia,” says Ahmed Abdelaal, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President and General Manager at Biosense Webster, a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company. “It occurs when the atria beat rapidly or in an uncontrolled manner. Atrial fibrillation can be asymptomatic or it can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including but not limited to heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain or potentially a stroke.”
The condition can cause an incredibly fast heart rate in the top chambers of the heart; during an acute episode, resulting in a fast irregular heart rate, the rate ranges from 120 to 200 beats per minute—a normal rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute.
AFib also taxes the heart muscle and can weaken it. That, in turn, can make everyday tasks, like walking the dog or climbing a flight of stairs, more challenging and uncomfortable.
The good news is that AFib is treatable, if you get the proper diagnosis and stay in regular contact with your doctor. In general, the earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment is initiated, the better the long-term outcome. Atrial fibrillation is a progressive disease. If left untreated, permanent changes can occur at the cellular level making the condition more difficult to treat.
For AFib Awareness Month, take our quiz to learn more about the condition—and what to expect if you do get an AFib diagnosis.
While it quietly works away, beating 100,000 times per day, sometimes those beats can become irregular, which is known as arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is one type of arrhythmia. The name refers to the quivering (fibrillation) that occurs in the upper heart chambers, otherwise known as the atria.
“AFib is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia,” says Ahmed Abdelaal, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President and General Manager at Biosense Webster, a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company. “It occurs when the atria beat rapidly or in an uncontrolled manner. Atrial fibrillation can be asymptomatic or it can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including but not limited to heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain or potentially a stroke.”
The condition can cause an incredibly fast heart rate in the top chambers of the heart; during an acute episode, resulting in a fast irregular heart rate, the rate ranges from 120 to 200 beats per minute—a normal rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute.
AFib also taxes the heart muscle and can weaken it. That, in turn, can make everyday tasks, like walking the dog or climbing a flight of stairs, more challenging and uncomfortable.
The good news is that AFib is treatable, if you get the proper diagnosis and stay in regular contact with your doctor. In general, the earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment is initiated, the better the long-term outcome. Atrial fibrillation is a progressive disease. If left untreated, permanent changes can occur at the cellular level making the condition more difficult to treat.
For AFib Awareness Month, take our quiz to learn more about the condition—and what to expect if you do get an AFib diagnosis.
