Everything You Need To Know About Atrial Fibrillation

Diagnosing Atrial Fibrillation

If a doctor suspects their patient may be affected by atrial fibrillation, they may refer them to a physician who specializes in heart conditions and diseases to confirm a diagnosis. Patients may also be referred to a physician who specializes in irregular heartbeats. Both of these types of physicians will likely perform a physical examination on the patient to listen to the rate and rhythm of their heart, take blood pressure and pulse, listen to their lungs, and check for other signs indicative of valve or muscle problems. An individual may need to have an electrocardiogram or EKG so their doctor can see the rhythm of their heartbeat, speed of their heartbeat, the strength of electrical signals in the heart, and the timing of the electrical signals in the heart. An individual may need to wear a Holter monitor for between twenty-four to forty-eight hours to record the electrical activity of their heart. Other tests can assist with the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation include an event monitor, stress test, mobile cardiac telemetry, echocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiogram, transesophageal echocardiogram, chest x-ray, blood tests, CT scan, MRI scan, portable electrocardiogram, fitness tracking, and a tilt table test.