What is Atrial Defibrillation:
Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. It may cause no symptoms, but it is often associated with palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure. In some cases, however, AF is caused by idiopathic or benign conditions.
AF may be identified clinically when taking a pulse, and its presence can be confirmed with an electrocardiogram that demonstrates the absence of P waves and an irregular ventricular rate. In AF, the normal regular electrical impulses generated by the sinoatrial node are overwhelmed by disorganized electrical impulses usually originating in the roots of the pulmonary veins, leading to irregular conduction of ventricles impulses that generate the heartbeat. AF may occur in episodes lasting from minutes to days or may be permanent in nature. A number of medical conditions increase the risk of AF, in particular mitral stenosis (narrowing of the mitral valve of the heart). The risk of stroke is increased fivefold in individuals with AF. The degree of increased risk may be substantial, depending on the presence of additional risk factors (such as high blood pressure). AF may be treated with medications to either slow the heart rate to a normal range ("rate control") or revert the heart rhythm to normal ("rhythm control"). Synchronized electrical cardioversion can be used to convert AF to a normal heart rhythm. Surgical and catheter-based ablation may be used to prevent recurrence of AF in some individuals. Depending on the risk of stroke and systemic embolism, people with AF may use anticoagulants such as warfarin, which substantially reduces these risks but may increase the risk of major bleeding, mainly in geriatric patients. The prevalence of AF in a population increases with age; 8% of people over 80 have AF. Chronic AF leads to a small increase in the risk of death.