Atrial flutter

Atrial flutter is a common heart rhythm disturbance.

In people who have never had any procedures on the heart, this is very commonly originating from the right sided collecting chamber (right atrium).

This typically involves an electrical circuit around the right atrium, as shown in the diagram to the right.

In common with atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter can increase the risk of stroke, so people with atrial flutter need to be assessed as to whether they stand to benefit from anticoagulation.

Atrial flutter may be treated with medications alone if someone does not have symptoms as a result. DC cardioversion can be performed to restore the normal rhythm but this is frequently not a long-term solution. Otherwise atrial flutter can be cured with a procedure called catheter ablation.