atrial flutter

Atrial flutter is a condition where the upper chambers of the heart, the atria, beat rapidly, often around 300 beats per minute. This rapid atrial beat can occur suddenly or be a chronic issue. While the atria beat very fast, typically only a fraction of these beats are transmitted to the ventricles, resulting in a constant ventricular rate.1

Atrial flutter can be a variant of supraventricular tachycardia and may be difficult to treat with medication alone. Patients with atrial flutter are susceptible to significant increases in heart rate, which can be managed with medications like beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers. In some cases, especially for sustained atrial flutter, treatment may involve electric countershock followed by antiarrhythmic therapy to restore a normal rhythm. It is important to note that atrial flutter can sometimes progress to atrial fibrillation, a chaotic disorganization of the atrial muscle.1