What is Atrial Fibrillation - An American Heart Association Infographic

The American Heart Association released an infographic on atrial fibrilation to further inform people as well as bridge knowledge gaps on the condition.

Atrial Fibrillation, AF or Afib, is a condition where the the heart's atria beats too fast and irregularly. Afib is the most common type of arrhythmia (the condition where the heart beats too fast, too slow, or at an irregular pace).

The atria is the heart's two upper chambers. In atrial fibrillation, the blood pools in the atria and does not get completely pumped to the ventricles, which are the two lower chambers.

Unless checked, people may not notice that they have atrial fibrillation. As the AHA Infographic states, 90% of afib patients find about afib from their doctors. Afib is a health risk as 15% to 20% of strokes are attributed to it.

Treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF) depends the symptoms, severity, and whether the person already has heart disease. General treatment for afib include medicines, medical procedures, pacemakers, and lifestyle changes.