Guide To Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms

Shortness Of Breath

The shortness of breath associated with atrial fibrillation occurs most frequently when the patient is lying down. Patients may feel as though they cannot get enough air. To evaluate shortness of breath, doctors will listen to the patient's breathing with a stethoscope, and the patient might also need to have lung function tests, echocardiograms, blood tests, or scans of the chest. Patients with atrial fibrillation should inform their doctor about any increase or change in their shortness of breath, and they may want to ask for advice about activities to avoid and ways to minimize this symptom. Since shortness of breath can be a sign of a heart attack, patients who experience this symptom in conjunction with chest pain or nausea should seek emergency medical care.

Exercise Intolerance

Exercise intolerance is a term used to describe when an individual is unable or has a decreased ability to perform physical activities and exercises at the same duration and intensity level as someone of the same age. An individual who has exercise intolerance may experience vomiting, nausea, unusually severe post-exercise pain, fatigue, and other adverse effects. When a healthy individual exercises, their heart rate increases to a rate considered healthy and does not cause them to feel any adverse side effects.

When the heart beats too fast in a patient who has atrial fibrillation, the blood cannot flow throughout the heart normally because the atria do not contract in proper coordination with the ventricles. An individual who has atrial fibrillation may experience a racing heart that causes a rapid decrease in blood pressure, resulting in other symptoms, including feeling dizzy and lightheaded. An individual who has atrial fibrillation may also experience chest pain when they are performing physical activities and or exercising.