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Atrial flutter is one of the most common types of arrhythmias, or heart rhythm disorder. It starts in the upper chambers, or atria, of the heart.
When you have atrial flutter, you need the right treatment to protect you from long-term side effects. The doctors at the Henry Ford Heart & Vascular Institute can help.
At Henry Ford, our experienced doctors offer effective treatments that protect your heart for the long term.
We can accurately diagnose atrial flutter and determine which treatments can help you the most. In many cases, we can cure atrial flutter with a minimally invasive procedure called cardiac ablation.
Atrial flutter is caused by a glitch with the heart’s electrical system. A “short circuit” causes the atria to beat too quickly, or flutter. Atrial flutter is a type of tachycardia, or abnormally fast heartbeat.
Some people with atrial flutter do not have any symptoms. Others may experience:
It’s important to get proper treatment for atrial flutter. It can lead to blood pooling, or clotting, in the heart. If a clot enters your bloodstream, it can cause a stroke.
An accurate diagnosis is the key to treating atrial flutter. Our thorough evaluation includes:
We perform minimally invasive ablations in our electrophysiology lab. Sophisticated imaging allows us to locate the source of the atrial flutter and treat it with special heat or extreme cold. Ablation often cures atrial flutter.
Other atrial flutter treatments may include:
Request an appointment with an electrophysiologist.
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