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If your heart is not beating normally, you could be suffering from atrial fibrillation (also known as A-Fib). If your doctor is trying to impress you, he or she might throw in other possibilities like sick sinus syndrome or sinus tachycardia, or premature ventricular contractions (PVC), or premature atrial contractions (PAC). Whatever it is, a missing heart beat, a fast heart beat, a heartbeat that feels like the beat of a different drummer, can be frightening. Indeed, if left untreated, it could be fatal.

In this article, Dr. Krakow discusses the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for atrial fibrillation (also known as A-Fib or AF), the most common type of heart rhythm abnormality, or arrhythmia. Included as appendices are the Wikipedia articles for A-Fib, as well as for Coumadin (warfarin) and Pradaxa (Dabigatran), two of the most common drug treatments for A-Fib. The purpose is to help you research A-Fib further. There are very serious side effects to these drugs, which your doctor should discuss with you before prescribing.

Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that typically affects older individuals. So if your elderly loved one complains of a missed or skipping heart beat, treat it seriously. Interestingly, it isn’t a well publicized medical condition, but its complications can be life threatening. Since A-Fib is so common, and it’s a good model for the other types of arrhythmias, it’s a good topic for discussion of arryhtmias in general. Fortunately, even though A-Fib is scary, it’s treatable, if treated early.

Dr. Krakow answers these commonly asked questions about A-Fib:

What is an atrium? (plural: atria)

What’s fibrillation?

So this quivering is a bad thing?

Why is clotted blood bad?

What causes this quivering?

What will I feel if I have A-Fib?

How is A-Fib diagnosed?

How is A-Fib treated?

Will anything else be done?

Contents of the Atrial Fibrillation Wikipedia Article:

1 Classification
2 Signs and symptoms
2.1 Rapid heart rate
2.2 Association with other conditions
3 Diagnosis
3.1 Screening
3.2 Minimal evaluation
3.3 Extended evaluation
4 Cause
5 Pathophysiology
5.1 Morphology
5.2 Electrophysiology
6 Management
6.1 Anticoagulation
6.2 Rate control versus rhythm control using drugs
6.3 Rate control
6.4 Cardioversion
6.5 Ablation
7 Prognosis
7.1 Thromboembolism
7.2 Mitral valve
8 Epidemiology
9 History
10 See also
11 References
12 External links

Contents of the Coumadin (Warfarin) Wikipedia Article:

1 Medical uses
1.1 Dosing
2 Contraindications
2.1 Pregnancy
3 Adverse effects
3.1 Hemorrhage
3.2 Warfarin necrosis
3.3 Osteoporosis
3.4 Purple toe syndrome
3.5 Drug interactions
3.6 Antagonism
4 Pharmacology
4.1 Pharmacokinetics
4.2 Mechanism of action
4.3 Chemical synthesis
4.4 Molecular structure
4.5 Pharmacogenomics
5 History
6 Use as a pesticide
7 References
8 External links

Contents of the Pradaxa (Dabigatran) Wikipedia Article:

1 Development
2 Dosing
3 Major trials
3.1 RE-LY study
3.2 RE-COVER
4 Approval and indications
5 Expiration of capsules
6 References
7 External links