What is AFib?
A normal heart beat starts in the right atrium, which is the upper right chamber (or “part”) of the heart. An electrical signal starts the heart beat at the sinoatrial (SA) node. The beat travels down through the heart from there. With AFib, signals come from many different places in the upper chambers of the heart. These beats travel down to the heart and makes your heart beat irregularly. Your heart may beat faster, too.
Why is this happening to me?
AFib is the most common irregular heart rhythm in the world. Over 59 million people in the world have AFib. Anyone can get AFib. Even people who live healthy lifestyles and have no other medical problems can have AFib.
Normal
Atrial Fiblillation
The picture on the left shows how a normal heart beat starts at the SA node and travels through the heart. The picture on the right shows AFib. The signals in the upper chambers of the heart come from many different places. These signals are fast, and irregular as seen in the bottom heart rhythms.
People with certain conditions have a higher chance of having AFib:
Take this quiz to learn if you are at risk.
No matter what risk factors you have, AFib can be controlled
This guide will tell you about AFib, and what you can do to live well with AFib. The risk of AFib goes up with age. About 1 in 3 people will have AFib in their lifetime.