Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) known asatrial fibrillation. Episodes of this arrhythmia occur intermittently and may last less than seven days. It may increase your risk of having other episodes of irregular heartbeat.
Continue reading to learn more about paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, including how serious paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is, whether it’s reversible, and what to expect from it in the future.
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Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Definition
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is a short-term type of atrial fibrillation in which symptoms come and go.
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm (orarrhythmia).It happens when the heart’s upper chambers, called the atria, beat rapidly. They get out of sync with the lower chambers of the heart, known as ventricles, which can lead to blood pooling and serious complications, includingblood clots,stroke, andheart failure.
About one-quarter of people will experience AFib during their lives. The condition becomes more common with age.
Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms
The symptoms of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation can vary, so you might have different symptoms each time you experience an AFib occurrence. The most frequentsymptoms of AFibare:
More rarely, some people can lose consciousness. In other cases, people with AFib have no symptoms at all.
Atrial Fibrillation: Deciding to Go to the Hospital
Healthcare providers believe that the cause of AFib involves changes in the heart muscles. These changes affect how the muscle receives the electrical signals that control your heartbeat. Certain conditions and risk factors can increase your chances of having AFib, including:
To help with your diagnosis, track when you experience symptoms and what they are. If an ECG in the healthcare provider’s office is normal, your provider may recommend ambulatory monitoring, a type of ECG you wear at home. You should wear the device until it has recorded an episode of the symptoms you have been experiencing.
There are a few different treatment options for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. It’s important to work with your healthcare team to weigh the benefits and risks of each. Your treatment plan should take into account any other serious health conditions you have, like diabetes or other cardiac concerns.
Treatmentscan include:
Current treatment guidelines emphasize restoring normal heart rhythm as quickly as possible to prevent symptoms and complications and to keep the condition from worsening. In some people, this could mean that cardiac ablation is the first treatment used.
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is often progressive.Each episode of AFib increases the risk for subsequent episodes. Because of that, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, even if you only experience symptoms occasionally.
Telling yourself that paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is no big deal may comfort you. However, research shows 9% to 30% of people with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation will progress to persistent AFib within a year.So, staying proactive about treating this condition is important.
Getting an AFib diagnosis is stressful, but it’s important to remember that treatment is there to help. With treatment, you may experience no lingering symptoms. There are plenty of resources for coping, including a helpline from theAtrial Fibrillation Association.
Summary
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm that can cause symptoms including fatigue, lightheadedness, and—more rarely—stroke. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is a type of AFib that resolves within seven days, either on its own or with treatment. However, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation can increase your risk of developing persistent AFib. Because of that, it’s important to work closely with your healthcare provider to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is atrial fibrillation?Heidt ST, Kratz A, Najarian K, et al.Symptoms in atrial fibrillation: a contemporary review and future directions.J Atr Fibrillation. 2016;9(1):1422. doi:10.4022/jafib.1422Joglar JA, Chung MK, Armbruster AL, et al.2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS guideline for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines[published correction appears in Circulation. 2024 Jan 2;149(1):e167].Circulation. 2024;149(1):e1-e156. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001193Shukla A, Curtis AB.Avoiding permanent atrial fibrillation: treatment approaches to prevent disease progression.Vascular Health and Risk Management.2013.doi: 10.2147/VHRM.S49334Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Atrial fibrillation.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is atrial fibrillation?Heidt ST, Kratz A, Najarian K, et al.Symptoms in atrial fibrillation: a contemporary review and future directions.J Atr Fibrillation. 2016;9(1):1422. doi:10.4022/jafib.1422Joglar JA, Chung MK, Armbruster AL, et al.2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS guideline for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines[published correction appears in Circulation. 2024 Jan 2;149(1):e167].Circulation. 2024;149(1):e1-e156. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001193Shukla A, Curtis AB.Avoiding permanent atrial fibrillation: treatment approaches to prevent disease progression.Vascular Health and Risk Management.2013.doi: 10.2147/VHRM.S49334Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Atrial fibrillation.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is atrial fibrillation?Heidt ST, Kratz A, Najarian K, et al.Symptoms in atrial fibrillation: a contemporary review and future directions.J Atr Fibrillation. 2016;9(1):1422. doi:10.4022/jafib.1422Joglar JA, Chung MK, Armbruster AL, et al.2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS guideline for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines[published correction appears in Circulation. 2024 Jan 2;149(1):e167].Circulation. 2024;149(1):e1-e156. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001193Shukla A, Curtis AB.Avoiding permanent atrial fibrillation: treatment approaches to prevent disease progression.Vascular Health and Risk Management.2013.doi: 10.2147/VHRM.S49334Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Atrial fibrillation.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is atrial fibrillation?
Heidt ST, Kratz A, Najarian K, et al.Symptoms in atrial fibrillation: a contemporary review and future directions.J Atr Fibrillation. 2016;9(1):1422. doi:10.4022/jafib.1422
Joglar JA, Chung MK, Armbruster AL, et al.2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS guideline for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines[published correction appears in Circulation. 2024 Jan 2;149(1):e167].Circulation. 2024;149(1):e1-e156. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001193
Shukla A, Curtis AB.Avoiding permanent atrial fibrillation: treatment approaches to prevent disease progression.Vascular Health and Risk Management.2013.doi: 10.2147/VHRM.S49334
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Atrial fibrillation.
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