Atrial Fibrillation (AF or AFib)

Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to stroke and other heart-related complications. Some people refer to AF as a quivering heart. An estimated 2.7 million Americans are living with AF.

Here’s how patients have described their experience:

“My heart flip-flops, skips beats, and feels like it’s banging against my chest wall, especially if I’m carrying stuff up my stairs or bending down.”

     “I was nauseated, light-headed, and weak. I had a really fast heartbeat and felt like I was gasping for air.”

     “I had no symptoms at all. I discovered my AF at a regular check-up. I’m glad we found it early.”

What happens during AF?
Normally, your heart contracts and relaxes to a regular beat. In atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly (quiver) instead of beating effectively to move blood into the ventricles. About 15–20 percent of people who have strokes have this heart arrhythmia. Read More