| Atrial Fibrillation |
Atrial Flutter | |
| Rate | 300-600 bpm Ineffective and irregularly irregular Atrial impulse reaches ventricle from varying angles |
250-350 bpm Regular pulsation Ventricular response due to variable degree of conduction block (2:1) |
| Causes |
Primary (structural)
Secondary |
Right atrial re-entrant circuit
|
| Effects | Thrombi/Emboli | Rate-related ischaemia/effects |
Management
- Oxygen
- Vagal manoeurvres
- valsalva
- Eyeball massage
- carotid sinus massage
- Chemical cardioversion
- Drugs: IV adenosine (6/6/12) induces AV conduction delay - care in accessory pathways
- Amiodarone
- Electrical cardioversion
- Surgical ablation of accessory pathway
- Rate control