|
|
|
Excerpt from Atrial FlutterSynonyms, Key Words, and Related Terms: auricular flutter, atrial fibrillation, bradyarrhythmia, tachyarrhythmia, arrhythmia, heart disease, acute myocardial infarction, AMI, congestive heart disease, CHD, coronary artery disease, CAD, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, rhythm disturbance, palpitations, fatigue, poor exercise tolerance, dyspnea, angina, syncope, rhythm disturbance of the atria, congestive heart failure, CHF, peripheral embolization, left ventricle dysfunction, long-standing hypertension, valvular heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, left ventricular hypertrophy, diabetes, depressed left ventricularfunction,myotonicdystrophy, postoperative revascularization, digitalis toxicity, pulmonary embolism Please click here to view the full topic text: Atrial FlutterBackgroundAtrial flutter is a relatively common atrial tachyarrhythmia. After atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter is the most significant of the atrial tachyarrhythmias. Atrial flutter has traditionally been characterized as a macroreentrant arrhythmia with atrial rates between 240-400 beats per minute. Atrial flutter is defined by the presence of stable, uniform atrial activation (flutter waves). Atrial flutter, depending on the ventricular rate, can impede cardiac output and lead to atrial thrombus formation, with risk of systemic embolization. Atrial flutter commonly includes some form of A-V block. Most commonly atrial depolarization is conducted at a 2:1 ratio, though it can also be conducted at a 4:1 ratio, and less commonly at a 3:1 or 5:1 ratio. PathophysiologyMultiple re-entrant or primarily generated (ectopic) atrial waveforms bombard the atrioventricular (AV) node. The two forms of atrial flutter are known as type I and type II. Type I is the most common form. Atrial flutter, type I, is also referred to as typical, common, or counter-clockwise isthmus-dependent atrial flutter and involves a re-entrant circuit that encircles the tricuspid annulus of the right atrium, with a depolarizing stimulus traveling up the atrial septum, experiencing epicardial break-through superiorly, and traveling back down the atrial free wall. (A clockwise variant of this circuit also exists.) Type II atrial flutter, also known as atypical aflutter, is still poorly characterized, but may result from an intraatrial reentrant circuit operating at a faster rate. Type I has traditionally been distinguished by a rate of 240-340 beats, and the ability to be entrained by atrial pacing. Type II has a rate greater than 340 beats. Atrial flutter is associated in patients with heart failure, valvular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hyperthyroidism, pericarditis, pulmonary embolism, and a history of open heart surgery. FrequencyUnited StatesAtrial flutter affects approximately 88 out of 100,000 new patients each year. In the United States, this represents approximately 200,000 patients presenting with atrial flutter annually. Mortality/MorbidityFor the most part, morbidity and mortality are due to complications of rate (ie, syncope, congestive heart failure [CHF]). In patients who suffer from atrial flutter, the risk of embolic occurrences approaches that of atrial fibrillation. SexMen are affected more often than women, with a 2:1 male-to-female ratio. AgeThe prevalence of atrial fibrillation increases with age and varies from 1 case out of 200 persons for people younger than 60 years, to almost 9 cases out of 100 persons for people over 80 years.
Please click here to view the full topic text: Atrial Flutter |
 |
| About Us | Privacy | Code of Ethics | Terms of Use | Contact Us | Advertising | Institutional Subscribers |
|
|||
|
| Medicine is a constantly changing science and not all therapies are clearly established. New research changes drug and treatment therapies daily. The authors, editors, and publisher of this journal have used their best efforts to provide information that is up-to-date and accurate and is generally accepted within medical standards at the time of publication. However, as medical science is constantly changing and human error is always possible, the authors, editors, and publisher or any other party involved with the publication of this article do not warrant the information in this article is accurate or complete, nor are they responsible for omissions or errors in the article or for the results of using this information. The reader should confirm the information in this article from other sources prior to use. In particular, all drug doses, indications, and contraindications should be confirmed in the package insert. FULL DISCLAIMER |
