1. ATRIAL FIBRILLATION Hannah Morgan Lance Killian October 12, 2010 HS2

2. WHAT HAPPENS?  the heart's two small upper chambers (the atria) quiver instead of beating effectively. Blood isn't pumped completely out of them, so it may pool and clot. If a piece of a blood clot in the atria leaves the heart and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke results.

3. WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS?  A fluttering feeling in the chest  Chest pain or pressure  Feeling out of breath  Feeling weak or tired  Dizziness and sweating  Feeling faint or lightheaded

4. WHO GETS IT?  Men are more likely to get atrial fibrillation than women. It's more common if you're older.

5. ARE THERE WAYS TO PREVENT IT?  A healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, treatment for high blood pressure, and other measures can prevent atrial fibrillation by protecting you from heart disease.  Manage your stress  exercise regularly  control your blood pressure  and do not smoke.

6. HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?  Some people who have atrial fibrillation (AF) don't have symptoms. For these people, AF often is found during a physical exam or EKG (Modifications to your diet and lifestyle, such as eliminating things that can cause or worsen health problems. ) test done for another purpose. Other times, AF is diagnosed after a person goes to the doctor because of symptoms.

7. HOW IS IT TREATED?  General treatment options include medicines, medical procedures, and lifestyle changes.  These medicines include warfarin (Coumadin), heparin, and aspirin.

8. WHAT IS THE PROGNOSIS?  The prognosis, or expectation, for people with atrial fibrillation depends on many factors, such as:  Overall health and whether other heart problems are present  Age  Type of atrial fibrillation  Symptoms  Response to treatment.

9. WORK CITIED  www.multaq.com  www.americanheart.org  http://www.health.com  http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov  http://heart.emedtv.com