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Article: Don't let AF put you in the ER. (atrial fibrillation, emergency room)
- Article from:
- Medical Update
- Article date:
- April 1, 1994
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Artial fibrillation (AF), an irregular heartbeat, is responsible for some 75,000 cases of stroke each year in the United States. In AF, the upper chambers of the heart (the atria), which pump blood into the lower chambers (the ventricles), quiver erratically instead of contracting rhythmically.
Symptoms of AF can include heart palpitations or shortness of breath during exercise, but one can suffer from AF without experiencing any noticeable symptoms. Partners in Prevention, a part of the AF Patient Notification Program, encourages those at risk for stroke to see their physicians for a checkup.
Stroke-risk groups include those previously diagnosed ...