Atrial Flutter

Atrial flutter is a form of supraventricular tachycardia caused by "a re-entry circuit within the right atrium."^[2]

• The rapid ventricular rate present in atrial flutter causes a decreased cardiac output, which results in symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue, mild, dyspnea, and presyncope.
• Treatment of symptomatic atrial flutter is similar to treatment of atrial fibrillation. Intravenous calcium-channel blockers or beta-adrenergic blockers can be used to help control the ventricular rate.

• Transition from Atrial Flutter (red) to Atrial Fibrillation (black)

1. Additional Examples of Atrial Flutter (8)

2. Atrial Flutter with 2:1 Conduction

Diagnosis of Atrial Flutter on the ECG

1. Atrial Flutter [Online image]. (2013). Retrieved July 19, 2016, from http://www.practicalclinicalskills.com/ekg-reference-guide-details?lessonID=10
2. Atrial Flutter. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2016, from http://lifeinthefastlane.com/ecg-library/atrial-flutter/
3. Atrial Flutter. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2016, from http://www.practicalclinicalskills.com/ekg-reference-guide-details?lessonID=10
4. Atrial Flutter Signs and Symptoms. (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2016, from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/151210-overview
5. MIT-BIH Atrial Fibrillation Database. (1983). Retrieved June, 2016, from https://physionet.org/physiobank/database/afdb/
6. Goldberger AL, Amaral LAN, Glass L, Hausdorff JM, Ivanov PCh, Mark RG, Mietus JE, Moody GB, Peng C-K, Stanley HE. PhysioBank, PhysioToolkit, and PhysioNet: Components of a New Research Resource for Complex Physiologic Signals. Circulation101(23):e215-e220 [Circulation Electronic Pages;http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/101/23/e215]; 2000 (June 13).
7. MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database. (1980). Retrieved June, 2016, from https://physionet.org/physiobank/database/mitdb/