Atrial Flutter - Symptom, Causes, Treatment

Atrial flutter is a heart rhythm disorder. Atrial flutter can be the result of valve disease, hardening of the arteries, thyroid disease, or heart failure. Another cause is swelling and irritation of the outside of the heart. Atrial flutter is typically not a stable rhythm, and frequently degenerates to atrial fibrillation. However, it may persist for months to years. 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). There are two types of atrial flutter, known as type I ( common atrial flutter or typical atrial flutter) and type II. Most individuals with atrial flutter will manifest only one of these types of atrial flutter. Rarely someone may manifest both types of flutter; however, they can only manifest one type at a time. Atrial flutter can come and go; it is then known as paroxysmal atrial flutter. More often, atrial flutter lasts for days to weeks and is known as persistent atrial flutter. The condition can be caused by impulses which are transmitted to the ventricles in an irregular fashion or by some impulses failing to be transmitted.

Atrial flutter often occurs in the first week after open-heart surgery in both children and adults and frequently follows surgery to repair congenital heart defects over both short and long term. The condition can be caused by impulses which are transmitted to the ventricles in an irregular fashion or by some impulses failing to be transmitted. This makes the ventricles beat irregularly, which leads to an irregular pulse in atrial fibrillation. Hyperthyroidism, hypertension, and other diseases can cause arrhythmias, as can recent heavy alcohol use. Some cases of atrial fibrillation or flutter occur in the setting of a heart attack or soon after surgery on the heart. With proper treatment, atrial flutter is rarely life - threatening. Complications of atrial flutter, in particular stroke, can be devastating, but they can be prevented with medications, such as warfarin. In certain cases, atrial fibrillation may require emergency treatment to convert the arrhythmia to normal rhythm.

Causes of Atrial flutter

Some causes of Atrial flutter:

• A disruption of the normal functioning of the electrical conduction system of the heart.
• Alcohol abuse.
• The condition can be caused by impulses which are transmitted to the ventricles in an irregular fashion or by some impulses failing to be transmitted.
• Open heart surgery.
• Sick sinus syndrome, cardiac conduction pre-excitation syndromes (e.g. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome).

Symptoms of Atrial flutter

Some symptoms of Atrial flutter:

• Sensation of feeling heart beat.
• Light-headedness.
• Fainting.
• Shortness of breath.
• Syncope.
• Sensation of tightness in the chest.
• Weakness.

Treatment of Atrial flutter

Some most common treatmet of Atrial flutter:

• Beta-adrenergic blockers are especially effective in the presence of thyrotoxicosis and increased sympathetic tone.
• Other antiarrhythmic drugs that can terminate atrial flutter/fibrillation include procainamide, disopyramide, propafenone, sotalol, flecainide.
• In certain cases, atrial fibrillation may require emergency treatment to convert the arrhythmia to normal (sinus) rhythm. This treatment may involve either with electrical cardioversion or intravenous drugs such as dofetilide, amiodarone, or ibutilide.
• Some selected patients with atrial fibrillation, rapid heart rates, and intolerance to medication may require a catheter procedure on the atria called radiofrequency ablation.

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