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Atrial Flutter vs Atrial Fibrillation

atrial flutter vs atrial fibrillation

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In Canada, we want the puck to spin flat and not flutter as it comes off the stick. We’ve gotten good at having it go from heel to toe and turning those wrists over to get the spin on it that looks so much better when it hits the twine. Although this may have little to do with cardiac health, you certainly don’t want to have a flutter in your heart when playing your favorite ice sport either. An irregular heartbeat is referred to as “arrhythmia” and an atrial flutter is one version of that. Atrial flutter vs atrial fibrillation is a different discussion but Multaq is an excellent irregular heartbeat treatment medication that can be used for either condition.

In addition to screaming wristers, another thing you’ll see at most ice rinks in Canada is an emergency defibrillator. That’s because a heart attack or cardiac arrest is a serious threat to life, and these tools have saved lives. One thing in common between atrial flutter vs atrial fibrillation is that both can lead to a heart attack or stroke and that is something that is nearly always totally unexpected and can happen any time and anywhere – even during your weekly hockey game. Knowing heart attack risk factors can be wise for people who know they are more likely to have some event.

It’s for this reason that an atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation needs to be detected as early as possible, and if your doctor suggests you start taking an irregular heartbeat prevention med then that’s what you need to do. This is especially true if you have persistent atrial flutter – meaning it doesn’t cease and is occurring nearly all the time as your heart. Thyroid disorder is very common in America with Synthroid being among the most prescribed medications in the country, and thyroid disease is a prime cause of persistent atrial flutter.

Next, we’ll look at atrial flutter vs atrial fibrillation in more detail, to then bring general heart health practices into the discussion. It’s important because there are so many possible combinations of diet or lifestyle choices and other health conditions that can cause a person’s heartbeat to go out of rhythm slowly but surely and / or start to flutter.

Anxiety Adding?

Some people wonder if atrial fibrillation be caused by anxiety. It’s not an unreasonable question as anxiety can make your heart rate elevate, but it’s not a contributor to atrial fibrillation. It can still relate to atrial flutter vs atrial fibrillation though as anxiety is among atrial flutter symptoms. Other ones are:

  • Heart palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Difficulty exercising
  • Confusion or feelings of disorientation
  • Tiredness
  • Angina pectoris when the person has existing lung health issues

In truth the major difference when it comes to atrial flutter vs atrial fibrillation is an atrial flutter isn’t nearly as immediately dangerous as atrial fibrillation. That’s because blood flow from the ventricles of the heart out into the body is much more compromised within atrial fibrillation, whereas an atrial flutter constitutes in the heart continuing to pump effectively since it still has a steady rhythm. The heart may be beating too fast, but it’s not beat irregularly.

People with atrial flutter may need to wear an event monitor to keep tabs on when their arrhythmia becomes pronounced and increases risk. But for people with a more serious atrial fibrillation there may be times where they’ll need to be monitored in-person at a medical facility.

Better Heart Health

Another mention with atrial flutter vs atrial fibrillation is that often there’s not much you can do to prevent yourself from developing heartbeat irregularities. However, a healthy heart is much more likely to be resilient in the face of arrhythmia and not struggle with blood supply or create the risk of heart attack or stroke the same way. Therefore, being smarter about heart health is something that’s good for anyone, even if they’re still in the prime of their youth and heart health concerns aren’t even on their radar.

First and foremost, in that way is to be at a healthy body weight. Being overweight is always a comorbidity factor when it comes to people passing away from heart failure. Without going into too much detail, it is because the heart must work much harder to pump blood throughout the body in the first place. There’s more to healthy heart practices, and one of the more helpful ones it to also cut way back on salt in your diet.

Atrial flutter vs atrial fibrillation finds they are very similar to each other, but atrial fibrillation is more of the type of irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia that is a cause for concern and any cardiologist you see will likely tell you the same thing.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.


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