Atrial Flutter

Noticed on my discharge letter from the hospital that I now have atrial flutter as well as pAF Can someone enlighten me as to this condition?

[Buffafly]

drjohnm.org/2013/08/atrial-...

I had the same experience, found this very helpful.

[Barry24 in reply to Buffafly]

Hi Buffafly,

I use his website as well, very informative in respect of Atrial Flutter.

Kind Regards

Barry

[BobD Volunteer]

Flutter is in the right atrium. fibrillation in the left. Flutter can lead to fib so best ablated early according to the experts at HRC earlier this month. Much easier to do as no transeptal puncture needed.

[jimmysouthgates in reply to BobD]

When I have my ablation for af will they be able to see if there is any flutter too? Im paranoid that the pvi isnt the only source?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to jimmysouthgates]

They should be able to tell that from the ECGs but don't worry. They have clever drugs to induce stuff so that they know what is doing what in there. IF you have cryo only the pulmonary vein areas can be ablated as the balloons can only do those areas but RF can draw lines in other areas. Cryo is faster and can be more successful if only PVs are firing but some people may need a subsequent RF ablation to tidy up other areas, What are you havlng?

[jimmysouthgates in reply to BobD]

I dont know, I will ask though. My ep did say it was a pvi, he seemed fairly confident that was the cause. I just want it done now, im fed up taking the flecainide. I think taking it regularly although stops a full af episode it causes other benign arrthymias, it feels that way at least

[Peddling]

Thank you both, very reassuring.

[nigelfarruca]

Mine was fix with one ablation to the right artrium in 2009. No recurrences.

[CDreamer]

My 2nd fixed both the AF & AFl.

[cherylbyrd]

Atrial Flutter is like an electrical circuit in the heart which magnifies the signals to the heart and cause it to beat consistently faster. Atrial fibrillation can, and did with my husband, originate in pulmonary veins on both sides of the atrium and are not coordinated; thus these electrical impulses cause the heart to beat in an irregular way - often causing the heart rate to increase dramatically. My husband recently had a scheduled Afib cryoablation for five pulmonary veins and they discovered atrial flutter during the procedure; then the EP proceeded immediately with a second cryoablation for the atrial flutter. This required accessing the heart from both sides of the groin with multiple catheters. The surgery took 3 1/2 hours and he is 83 years old and doing well. His heart must have been in utter chaos before the ablations.

[Susiebelle]

Hi - I am in hospital having had an ablation for atrial flutter.

They had 3 attempts at cardio version to try & get my heart beating in NSR but it kept pinging back.

So atrial flutter is a rapid heart beat as opposed to fibrillation which is irregular, irregular beats.