Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cardiac arrhythmia characterized by rapid and irregular electrical activity in the atria: Atrial fibrillation is a specific type of abnormal heart rhythm where the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat chaotically and out of coordination with the lower chambers (the ventricles).

Usage

• General Use: The term is used in medical contexts to diagnose, describe, and discuss a common form of heart arrhythmia.
• Key Characteristics: It specifically denotes fibrillation (rapid, irregular quivering) that originates in the atria.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation after complaining of palpitations.
  • Managing atrial fibrillation often involves medication to control heart rate and prevent stroke.

Advanced Usage

• "to go into atrial fibrillation": to enter a state of atrial fibrillation.
  • After the surgery, the patient briefly went into atrial fibrillation.
• "paroxysmal atrial fibrillation": a type of atrial fibrillation that comes and goes, usually stopping on its own within 7 days.
  • He has paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, so his episodes are intermittent.

Variants and Related Words

• AFib (n): A common abbreviation for atrial fibrillation.
  • The doctor noted a history of AFib in the chart.
• Fibrillation (n): Rapid, irregular, and unsynchronized contraction of muscle fibers, especially of the heart. (Atrial fibrillation is a subtype).
  • Ventricular fibrillation is a more immediately life-threatening arrhythmia.

Synonyms

• A-fib (n): Informal synonym, identical in meaning to the abbreviation AFib.
• Atrial arrhythmia (n): A broader category of irregular heartbeats originating in the atria, which includes atrial fibrillation.

Related Phrases

• Rate-controlled atrial fibrillation: Atrial fibrillation where the ventricular heart rate is managed with medication.
  • The goal for her rate-controlled atrial fibrillation is a resting heart rate under 110 bpm.
• Rhythm-control strategy: A treatment approach for atrial fibrillation that aims to restore and maintain a normal heart rhythm.
  • They opted for a rhythm-control strategy involving cardioversion.

Notes

• Atrial fibrillation is a specific medical condition. It is not used idiomatically in general language.

Noun

1. fibrillation of the muscles of the atria of the heart