PAROXYSMAL ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Course overview

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (AF) CAUSES AN IRREGULARLY IRREGULAR HEART RHYTHM. AF IS THE MOST COMMON SUSTAINED ARRHYTHMIA CHARACTERIZED BY DISORGANIZED, RAPID, AND IRREGULAR ATRIAL ACTIVATION LEADING TO AN IRREGULAR VENTRICULAR RESPONSE. AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE EFFECTS, ATRIAL CONTRACTILITY IS LOST CAUSING AN INABILITY TO COMPLETELY EMPTY BLOOD FROM ATRIAL APPENDAGE LEADING TO THE RISK OF CLOT FORMATION AND SUBSEQUENT THROMBOEMBOLIC EVENTS. AF CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO MANY SUBTYPES DEPENDING ON ITS CHARACTERISTICS AND DURATION. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING THOSE WITH THIS CONDITION.