What is the difference between atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation?

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What is the difference between atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation?

A lot of people have both atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. Both are types of supraventricular arrhythmia. If it’s not treated, atrial flutter can actually cause atrial fibrillation and vice versa.

Atrial fibrillation characteristics

  • Your top chambers (atria) beat up to 400 times a minute, causing your lower chamber to beat rapidly (up to 150 beats a minute or more).
  • Your heartbeat is irregular due to disorganized electrical activity in your atrium.

Atrial flutter characteristics

  • Your top chambers beat up to 250-350 times a minute, causing your lower chamber to beat rapidly (up to 150 beats a minute or more).
  • Your heartbeat is usually regular due to organized electrical activity in your atrium.

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