What is the difference between arrhythmia and fibrillation

Citrus Memorial Hospital. Doctors use medication or a surgical procedure called cardiac ablation to treat patients with a rapi What is the recovery like for surgery to treat cardiac rhythm disturbances? After surgery to treat cardiac rhythm disturbances people can expect to be in the hospital for about Sex, exercise and other activities may be completely safe for those with AFib.

Atrial fibrillation AFib is a heart condition in which the heart pum Accessed Feb. Ferri FF. Atrial fibrillation.

In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Accessed July 12, Petryszyn P, et al. Effectiveness of screening for atrial fibrillation and its determinants.

A meta-analysis. PLoS One. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed July 22, Kumar K. Overview of atrial fibrillation. Accessed Aug. Bonow RO, et al. Atrial fibrillation: Clinical features, mechanisms and management.

January CT, et al. Catheter ablation. Accessed Jan. High blood pressure, Afib, and your risk of stroke. American Heart Association. Antiarrhythmic drugs to maintain sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation: Recommendations.

Ganz LI. Control of ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation: Pharmacologic therapy. Reddy VY, et al. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Braswell Pickering EA. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. July 22, Noseworthy PA expert opinion. The major difference in symptoms is in the regularity of the pulse rate.

Overall, the symptoms of atrial flutter tend to be less severe. There is also less chance of clot formation and stroke. In AFib, the two top chambers of your heart atria receive disorganized electrical signals. The atria beat out of coordination with the bottom two chambers of your heart ventricles.

This leads to a rapid and irregular heart rhythm. A normal heart rate is 60 to beats per minute bpm. In AFib, the heart rate ranges from to bpm. In atrial flutter, your atria receive organized electrical signals, but the signals are faster than normal. The atria beat more frequently than the ventricles up to bpm. Only every second beat gets through to the ventricles. The resulting pulse rate is around bpm. Keep reading: How your heart works ».

People with a history of atrial flutter also have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation in the future. Treatment for AFib and atrial flutter has the same goals: Restore the normal rhythm of the heart and prevent blood clots. Treatment for both conditions may involve:. NOACs are now recommended over warfarin unless the person has moderate to severe mitral stenosis or has an artificial heart valve. Electrical cardioversion : This procedure uses an electrical shock to reset the rhythm of your heart.

The AV node connects the atria and ventricles. Maze surgery : Maze surgery is an open-heart surgery.