Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart condition characterized by rapid, irregular beating of the atrium or upper chamber of the heart. These abnormal contractions are weaker than normal ones, resulting in sluggish blood flow within the atrium. When blood pools and becomes stagnant, it can lead to the formation of blood clots. If a clot dislodges from the heart and travels to the brain, it can block blood flow through brain arteries, causing a stroke.

Some people with AF may experience symptoms like fluttering in the chest, chest pain, lightheadedness, fainting, shortness of breath, or fatigue. To diagnose AF, doctors use an electrocardiogram (ECG) to record the heart’s electrical activity. Treatment options include medications, shock therapy to restore normal heart rhythm, and ablation. Preventing strokes related to AF involves giving drugs to prevent clot formation in the heart, such as warfarin or newer blood thinners like dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban.