Atrial Fibrillation: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and Natural Approaches

Affecting approximately 10 million people in the United States, atrial fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm.

Atrial fibrillation symptoms vary from person to person but commonly include heart palpitations or chest discomfort. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

Atrial fibrillation symptoms vary from person to person but commonly include heart palpitations or chest discomfort. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

Atrial fibrillation, often referred to as “A-fib,” is an electrical disorder in the heart’s upper chambers that causes an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) and disrupts the normal flow of blood between the upper and lower chambers. Left untreated, A-fib can lead to serious complications, including blood clots, stroke, and heart failure.

A-fib is the most common irregular heart rhythm, leading to 450,000 hospitalizations each year. Recent studies estimate that it affects approximately 10 million people in the United States—about 5 percent of the population—and that number is expected to exceed 12 million by 2030.