Heart Health
Ask the doctor: Atrial fibrillation vs. atrial flutter
What's the difference between atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation? Atrial flutter occurs when an extra or early beat initiates an abnormal electrical impulse that zips around the right atrium in a circular loop up to 300 times a minute. The atrioventricular (AV) node, which delivers the "pump now" signal to the heart's lower chambers (ventricles), usually blocks about half of these signals. The ventricles then contract about 150 times a minute, or about twice as fast as normal. During atrial flutter, a person's heartbeat tends to be rapid but regular.
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