Week 5

Question 1

What is atrial fibrillation?

Answer 1

Chaotic, synchronous electrical activity in the atria

Question 2

What is more common atrial flutter or fibrillation?

Answer 2

Atrial fibrillation

Question 3

What does atrial fibrillations stem from?

Answer 3

The firing of a number of impulses from a re-entry circuit

Question 4

What is the atrial rate of fibrillation?

Answer 4

400-600 bpm - considered to quiver

Question 5

Is ventricular rate regular or irregular in atrial fibrillation?

Answer 5

Typically irregularly irregular

Question 6

What can atrial fibrillation be classified as?

Answer 6

1. permanent (no expectation of restoring sinus rhythm)
2. persistent (no background intervening sinus rhythm)
3. paroxysmal (sudden bursts of atrial fibrillation)

Question 7

What testing is strongly advised in an individual with atrial flutter?

Answer 7

Thyroid test

Question 8

Can atrial fibrillation lead to hypotension?

Answer 8

Yes, as atrial kick is lost and so SV is reduced

Question 9

What is uncontrolled atrial fibrillation?

Answer 9

Ventricular response is more than 100bpm

Question 10

How does atrial fibrillation increase the risk of stroke, pulmonary embolism?

Answer 10

The quivering atrial results in the ‘pooling’ of blood which increase the likelihood of thrombus formation

Question 11

What happens during atrial fibrillation?

Answer 11

When several ectopic sites in the atria fire, the atria cannot depolarise in an organised fashion and small sections are activated individually

Question 12

What prevents the ventricular rate being the same?

Answer 12

The fact tissue may be in refractory and the delay in conduction of 0.04 seconds within the AV node

Question 13

What 3 mechanisms are atrial arrhythmias thought to be caused by?

Answer 13

enhanced automaticity, re-entry circuit, after-depolarisation

Question 14

What is enhanced automaticity?

Answer 14

increased ability of