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An overview of Atrial Fibrillation

An overview of Atrial Fibrillation

Almost 2.7 million Americans live with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), yet most are not aware of how serious the issue is or that they even suffer from something with such a name. Hence, it is essential to raise awareness about this condition so that people can take steps before they are affected with fatal heart problems. AFib is a condition in which the heart beats in a quivering or irregular fashion. This irregularity in heartbeat or arrythmatic heartbeat can eventually result in even more serious issues like blood clots, strokes, complete heart failure, and many more complications related to the heart. What happens in AFib? In case of a normal cardiac cycle, the heart normally contracts and relaxes to regular beats. The right atrium pumps blood into the ventricle and when the ventricles relax, the blood is pumped into the left atrium, which in turn circulates the blood throughout the body. The blood flows through one way valves when moving from one chamber to another, and the heartbeat sound is caused because of the closing of those valves. However, in case of AFib, the Atria, or the upper chamber, quivers and is not able to pump blood properly, thereby causing a delay in the cardiac cycle.