Although the symptoms can be quite alarming to the child and parents, this is generally not a life-threatening problem. Symptoms of atrial flutter include palpitations (a sensation of rapid or "skipping" heart beats), dizziness, fainting, and fatigue. How does this problem affect my child's health? Therefore, even though the atria are going 300 beats a minute, the actual ventricular heart rate (which causes the "pulse") is usually between 110 and 150 beats per minute. In most people with atrial flutter, the AV node blocks many of the atrial beats from reaching the heart’s lower chambers-the ventricles. Atrial flutter occurs when an electrical impulse travels in a circle around the atria like "a dog chasing its own tail." This happens when there are areas of slow and fast conduction in the atria, which is quite common after having surgery in this area. Click here to learn more about the normal heart rhythm. The incidence of atrial flutter increases over time after these operations. The operations associated with resulting atrial flutter include the Fontan procedure, Mustard or Senning procedure, repair of tetralogy of Fallot, repair of total anomalous venous connection, and repair of atrial septal defect. Atrial flutter is uncommon in the young except when there is a history of heart surgery involving the atria. Atrial flutter is an abnormal, rapid heart rhythm that comes from the heart’s upper chambers - the atria - causing them to beat at rates of 220 to 300 times a minute.
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