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Multiple Choice

Atrial fibrillation is best described as which?

Atrial fibrillation is a quivering or irregular heartbeat caused by chaotic electrical activity in the atria, which prevents the atria from contracting effectively. This disorganized rhythm allows blood to pool and form clots in the atria, especially in the left atrial appendage, and those clots can travel to the brain to cause a stroke. It’s not a normal, regular heartbeat, it doesn’t originate from the ventricles, and chest pain is not a defining feature of AFib, though symptoms like palpitations, fatigue, or shortness of breath can occur.

Atrial fibrillation is a quivering or irregular heartbeat caused by chaotic electrical activity in the atria, which prevents the atria from contracting effectively. This disorganized rhythm allows blood to pool and form clots in the atria, especially in the left atrial appendage, and those clots can travel to the brain to cause a stroke. It’s not a normal, regular heartbeat, it doesn’t originate from the ventricles, and chest pain is not a defining feature of AFib, though symptoms like palpitations, fatigue, or shortness of breath can occur.