How to Treat Atrial Flutter

When an individual exercises or become nervous, their heartbeat may increase. While this is normal for most people, others may experience an uncontrollable heartbeat for no apparent reason. This condition is an arrhythmia or a rapid heartbeat known as atrial flutter. Atrial flutter occurs when the upper chamber of the heart, or atria, receives abnormal electrical impulses, which cause the heart to beat excessively fast, approximately 100 to 300 beats per minute (normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute). Treatment for this condition involves emergency care and lifestyle changes.

Things You'll Need

• Holter monitor
• Medications

Show More

Instructions

Emergency Treatment

• 1

  Visit the emergency room immediately when experiencing symptoms of atrial flutter. Care provided during the visit may include defibrillation to shock the heart back into normal rhythm and intravenous or oral medications, such as digitalis, to the slow the irregular heartbeat.

• 2

  Follow discharge instructions as indicated by the emergency room doctor or primary care physician. Such instructions may include wearing a Holter monitor and taking medications, such as calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, blood thinners and aspirin to relax the arteries, lower the blood pressure and prevent blood clots. If medications are not effective, the physician may recommend placing a pacemaker under the skin to regulate the heart rhythm or by inserting a thin catheter into the heart to destroy abnormal heart tissue with heat. This is known as catheter radiofrequency ablation.

• 3

  Wear a Holter monitor around the neck after hospital discharge to record heart rhythms. The monitor is worn for one to three days, and the device is returned to a primary care physician or cardiologist for further analysis and treatment.

Lifestyle Changes

• 4

  Limit or avoid excess alcohol, since it can contribute to atrial flutter.

• 5

  Reduce high blood pressure by consuming a low-sodium diet and getting plenty of exercise and rest.

• 6

  Treat underlying conditions, such as diabetes, coronary artery disease or high cholesterol, with the recommended prescribed medications, since conditions may trigger atrial flutter episodes.