File:Afib_ecg.svg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
atrial fibrillation
Sign in to saveAlso known as A-fib, AF, AFib
abnormal heart rhythm characterized by rapid and irregular beating
Atrial fibrillation is a condition where the upper chambers of your heart beat rapidly and irregularly instead of in a steady, coordinated rhythm. It matters because this abnormal beating can reduce how efficiently your heart pumps blood and may lead to serious complications.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Research
131,310 papers- Atrial Fibrillation.ReviewAnnals of internal medicine · 2017Zimetbaum PDOI: 10.7326/AITC201703070
- Atrial fibrillation.ReviewPrimary care · 2005Ziv O, Choudhary GDOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2005.09.003
- Atrial Fibrillation in the Young: Pathogenesis and Clinical Implications.ReviewJACC. Clinical electrophysiology · 2025D'Elia NW, Kistler PM, Voskoboinik ADOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2025.04.001
- Atrial fibrillation ablation in heart failure.ReviewEuropean heart journal · 2019Richter S, Di Biase L, Hindricks GDOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy778
- Atrial fibrillation: Neurogenic or myogenic?ReviewArchives of cardiovascular diseases · 2018Scridon A, Şerban RC, Chevalier PDOI: 10.1016/j.acvd.2017.11.001
- Atrial fibrillation.ReviewThe New England journal of medicine · 2001Falk RHDOI: 10.1056/NEJM200104053441407
- Atrial fibrillation.ReviewEuropean heart journal · 1984Bennett DDOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/5.suppl_a.89
- Risk Factors for Atrial Fibrillation Progression.ReviewCardiac electrophysiology clinics · 2021Heijman J, Luermans JGLM, Linz D et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.ccep.2020.10.011
via PubMed
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- symptom or sign
- Image
- Afib ecg.svg
Show 11 more facts
- Commons category
- Atrial fibrillation
- health specialty
- cardiology
- NCI Thesaurus ID
- C50466
- ICPC 2 ID
- K78
- name in kana
- しんぼうさいどう
- exact match
- purl.obolibrary.org/obo/SYMP_0000226
- ICD-9-CM
- 427.31
- genetic association
- SCN10A
- on focus list of Wikimedia project
- WikiProject Medicine
- symptoms and signs
- palpitation
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Encyclopedic overview
Atrial fibrillation (AF, AFib or A-fib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) characterized by 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 transform into AF.
Episodes can be asymptomatic. Symptomatic episodes may involve heart palpitations, fainting, lightheadedness, loss of consciousness, or shortness of breath. Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of heart failure, dementia, and stroke. It is a type of supraventricular tachycardia.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “atrial fibrillation” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.