Atrial Flutter

Atrial flutter is a heart rhythm disorder that causes the upper chambers of the heart to beat too quickly.

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Atrial flutter is a type of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) that occurs when the atria (upper chambers of your heart) beat faster and irregularly. While the heart normally beats between 60 to 100 beats per minute, atrial flutter causes the upper chambers of the heart to beat 250 to 350 times per minute.

With a rapid heartbeat, your heart’s upper chambers cannot fill with blood fast enough or empty all their blood into the ventricles (lower part of your heart), causing your heart to pump less blood than it normally would. Over time, this can weaken the heart muscle, damage your body’s other organs, and increase your risk of stroke, heart failure, and other complications.

At University of Iowa Heart and Vascular Center, our specialists can help relieve your symptoms and restore your heart rhythm. Home to the state’s largest and most experienced team of arrhythmia specialists, our providers will find a treatment plan that works for you, including treatment options not available anywhere else in the state.

Atrial flutter symptoms

With atrial flutter, your heart is working harder and less efficiently, often causing the heart muscle to weaken and blood pressure to fluctuate. This causes symptoms such as:

Shortness of breath
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Fainting
Fatigue
Fast heart rate
Heart palpitations
Thumping in the chest
Chest pain or pressure

However, some patients may not experience any symptoms commonly associated with atrial flutter.

Atrial flutter diagnosis

If you are suspected of having atrial flutter, your provider can confirm your diagnosis using one or more of the following tests:

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
Echocardiogram
Blood tests
Lung function tests

Types of atrial flutter

A proper diagnosis will reveal the type of atrial flutter you have, which will help your provider tailor treatments to your specific needs. Types of atrial flutter include:

Typical atrial flutter: The most common type is localized in the right atrium of the heart.
Atypical atrial flutter: This is usually caused by previous heart surgery and is most often localized in the left atrium.

What causes atrial flutter?

Atrial flutter occurs when the heart’s electrical system is damaged. While the direct cause is not always known, there are certain conditions that are more likely to cause atrial flutter, including:

Coronary artery disease
Heart valve disorders
High blood pressure
Congenital heart disease or defects
Overactive thyroid

What are the risk factors for atrial flutter?

Atrial flutter is most common in older adults and those assigned male at birth. However, the following conditions can make you more likely to develop atrial flutter:

Diabetes
Lung disease
A history of alcohol abuse
Obstructive sleep apnea
Obesity

Atrial flutter treatment

If you have an underlying condition that is causing atrial flutter, your provider may first work to treat that condition to help alleviate your symptoms. If additional treatment is needed, your provider may recommend medications or procedures to treat atrial flutter.

Medications

Medications such as calcium channel blockers and beta-blockers are used to treat atrial flutter by slowing your heart rate. Antiarrhythmic drugs are used to stop your abnormal heart rhythm. While medications are effective in treating atrial flutter for many people, your provider may recommend a procedure if you are not experiencing any improvement.

Procedures

There are several procedures that can help treat atrial flutter, including:

Cardiac ablation, a procedure that strategically damages a small, targeted section of heart tissue to prevent abnormal electrical signals from being transmitted.
Cardioversion, a procedure that can restore a normal heart rhythm by using quick, low electrical shocks.
Pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), small devices implanted in the chest to help monitor and restore the heart’s electrical impulses to normal.

A team approach to atrial flutter care

Many people with atrial flutter also have other underlying conditions, making it important for our specialists to work together. Our electrophysiologists will collaborate with a range of specialists, including cardiologists and surgeons, to provide a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your needs.