Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms
You may or may not notice atrial fibrillation. It often occurs with no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you may only notice them occasionally, or your symptoms may be frequent or serious. If you have heart disease, you are more likely to notice symptoms. Symptoms also may increase if your heart disease gets worse. Atrial fibrillation that goes undiagnosed or is left untreated can cause serious and even life-threatening complications, including stroke and heart failure.
The most common symptom of atrial fibrillation is fatigue, or extreme tiredness. Other symptoms include:
- Low blood pressure
- Difficulty breathing, especially when lying down or when exercising
- Chest pain
- Dizziness or fainting
- Heart palpitations, or the feeling that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, pounding, or beating too hard or too fast
Keep track of when and how often your symptoms occur and what you feel, and note whether these things change over time. They are all important clues to help your healthcare providers diagnose atrial fibrillation.