The 2020 European Society of Cardiology’s (ESC) guidelines define AFib as a ‘supraventricular tachyarrhythmia with uncoordinated atrial electrical activation and consequently ineffective atrial contraction’. Electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics of AFib include: 4
- An irregular heartbeat lasting ≥30 seconds
- No discernible repeating P-waves
- No irregular R-peak-to-R-peak time intervals (when atrioventricular conduction is not impaired).
Classification: Valvular vs non-valvular AFib?
Over the past few decades, researchers have debated whether or not differentiation between valvular and non-valvular AFib should guide treatment decisions....