Sorry so late

Atrial Fibrillation
-most common type of arrhythmia (problem with rate or rhythm of the heartbeat)
Definition: AF occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical signals cause the atria to fibrillate. The term "fibrillate" means to contract very fast and irregularly.
In AF, blood pools in the atria and isn't pumped completely into the ventricles. As a result, the heart's upper and lower chambers don't work together as they should.
Often, people who have AF may not feel symptoms. However, even when not noticed, AF can increase the risk of stroke.(Clots can form in the pools of blood in the atria) In some people, AF can cause chest pain or heart failure, particularly when the heart rhythm is very rapid.
AF may occur rarely or every now and then, or it may become a persistent or permanent heart rhythm lasting for years. In such cases, treatment is aimed at controlling symptoms and preventing complications.
-National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Incidence and prevalence
Incidence: Number of new cases within a specified time period
Prevalence: Total number of cases in the population at a given time (In this case number of people managing AF at a particular time)
In the US, approx 2million people are diagnosed with AF
-1 in 136/0.74%
Prevalence of AF rises almost exponentially with age:
• The prevalence of AF among persons younger than 55 years is 0.1%.
• The prevalence of AF among persons 60 years or older is 3.8%.
• The prevalence of AF among persons 80 years or older is 10%.
AF more common in whites than blacks
AF more common among men than women
Framingham data suggest that patients with atrial fibrillation have a 1.5-2 fold increase in mortality rate when compared with the general population.
People with AF have higher risk of stroke(up to 7 times general population)
-eMedicine