What is atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) and involves the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Its name comes from the characteristic fibrillating or quivering of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a normal coordinated contraction.

How do members experience atrial fibrillation?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with atrial fibrillation*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for atrial fibrillation*

*Data from patients with atrial fibrillation, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with atrial fibrillation*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Eliquis)
Perceived effectiveness
for atrial fibrillation (4 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
4
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (14)
Treatment

(Metoprolol Tartrate)
Perceived effectiveness
for atrial fibrillation (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (13)
Treatment

(Cardizem)
Perceived effectiveness
for atrial fibrillation (2 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
2
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (5)
Treatment

(Tambocor)
Perceived effectiveness
for atrial fibrillation (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (5)
Treatment

(Xarelto)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (3)

*Data from patients with atrial fibrillation, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has atrial fibrillation on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 1
20s 25
30s 60
40s 130
50s 280
60s 525
70+ 1,012

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 833
Female 1,153

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What is atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) and involves the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Its name comes from the characteristic fibrillating or quivering of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a normal coordinated contraction.



Common symptoms reported by people with atrial fibrillation

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for atrial fibrillation

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Eliquis)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
47
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (14)
Treatment name(s)

(Metoprolol Tartrate)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
442
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (13)
Treatment name(s)

(Cardizem)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
197
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (5)
Treatment name(s)

(Tambocor)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
157
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (5)
Treatment name(s)

(Xarelto)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
25
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (3)

Data from patients with atrial fibrillation, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:


Compare treatments taken by people with atrial fibrillation

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Eliquis)
Perceived effectiveness
for atrial fibrillation (4 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
4
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (14)
Treatment name(s)

(Metoprolol Tartrate)
Perceived effectiveness
for atrial fibrillation (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (13)
Treatment name(s)

(Cardizem)
Perceived effectiveness
for atrial fibrillation (2 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
2
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (5)
Treatment name(s)

(Tambocor)
Perceived effectiveness
for atrial fibrillation (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (5)
Treatment name(s)

(Xarelto)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
atrial fibrillation (3)
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

Data from patients with atrial fibrillation, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:



Who has atrial fibrillation on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 3 new patients joined this month
  • 1,072 say atrial fibrillation is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 1
20s 25
30s 60
40s 130
50s 280
60s 525
70+ 1,012
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 40
20-29 years 48
30-39 years 58
40-49 years 111
50-59 years 149
60-69 years 113
70+ years 43

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 833
Female 1,153

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 767
Not Diagnosed 21

These charts show data from atrial fibrillation patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: