User:Mr. Ibrahem/Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF or A-fib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) characterized by the rapid and irregular beating of the atrial chambers of the heart. It often begins as short periods of abnormal beating, which become longer or continuous over time. It may also start as other forms of arrhythmia such as atrial flutter that then transform into AF. Often episodes have no symptoms. Occasionally there may be heart palpitations, fainting, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, or chest pain. The disease is associated with an increased risk of heart failure, dementia, and stroke. It is a type of supraventricular tachycardia.

High blood pressure and valvular heart disease are the most common alterable risk factors for AF. Other heart-related risk factors include heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and congenital heart disease. In the developing world, valvular heart disease often occurs as a result of rheumatic fever. Lung-related risk factors include COPD, obesity, and sleep apnea. Other factors include excess alcohol intake, tobacco smoking, diabetes mellitus, and thyrotoxicosis. However, half of the cases are not associated with any of these risks. Healthcare professionals may suspect AF by feeling the pulse and confirm the diagnosis by interpreting an electrocardiogram (ECG). A typical ECG in AF shows no P waves and an irregular ventricular rate.

Healthy lifestyle changes, such as weight loss in people with obesity, increased physical activity, and drinking less alcohol, can lower the risk for atrial fibrillation and reduce its burden if it occurs. AF is often treated with medications to slow the heart rate to a near-normal range (known as rate control) or to convert the rhythm to normal sinus rhythm (known as rhythm control). Electrical cardioversion can convert AF to normal heart rhythm and is often necessary for emergent use if the person is unstable. Ablation may prevent recurrence in some people. For those at low risk of stroke, AF does not necessarily require blood-thinning though some healthcare providers may prescribe aspirin or an anti-clotting medication. For those at more than low risk, experts generally recommend an anti-clotting medication. Anti-clotting medications include warfarin and apixaban. Most people are at higher risk of stroke. While these medications reduce stroke risk, they increase rates of major bleeding.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common serious abnormal heart rhythm and, as of 2020, affects more than 33 million people worldwide. As of 2014, it affected about 2 to 3% of the population of Europe and North America. This was an increase from 0.4 to 1% of the population around 2005. In the developing world, about 0.6% of males and 0.4% of females are affected. The percentage of people with AF increases with age with 0.1% under 50 years old, 4% between 60 and 70 years old, and 14% over 80 years old being affected. A-fib and atrial flutter resulted in 193,300 deaths in 2015, up from 29,000 in 1990. The first known report of an irregular pulse was by Jean-Baptiste de Sénac in 1749. Thomas Lewis was the first doctor to document this by ECG in 1909.