Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a quivery, fluttery heartbeat. You might also hear the doctor call it arrhythmia.

If you have AFib, treating it cuts your risk of having a stroke. But it can be costly, even if you have insurance.

Today, researchers are still hard at work on finding ways to treat, manage, and prevent AFib and its complications.

AFib doesn’t so much have types as it has durations. Doctors classify it by how long it lasts, or what causes it.

When your heartbeat returns to normal within 7 days, on its own or with treatment, it's known as paroxysmal AFib.

Atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response is a fancy name for an irregular heartbeat.

Some younger people with no sign of heart disease or other health issues can also get AFib. Some experts call it lone AFib.

The basic cause of AFib is disorganized signals that make your heart's two upper chambers squeeze very fast and out of sync.

Studies have found that both type 1 and type 2 diabetes likely raise your risk of developing AFib.

If you have hyperthyroidism, you have a much higher chance of getting AFib. And the odds go up as you get older.

There are dozens of endocrine disorders, but a few are considered especially strong risk factors for AFib.

Research shows that inflammation can cause AFib or make it worse. Other studies say that AFib alone can spark inflammation.

A wandering atrial pacemaker is a rare form of a condition called arrhythmia. In some people, it can lead to AFib.

When you have atrial fibrillation (AFib), there’s a chance you could have another health condition as well.

A recent study found a strong link between drinking one to three drinks a day and getting AFib.

Many studies have been done, and it does not seem that there’s a link between drinking coffee and getting AFib.

If your heart races rather than beats and the feeling lasts for a few minutes, that’s a sign you might have AFib.

AFib also affects younger people. It can even affect teens and children, although less frequently.

Being older raises your chances for AFib. Older people are also more likely to have other conditions that raise AFib risk.

You’re less likely to get AFib if you’re Asian, Black, or Hispanic in America than if you’re white.

If you have atrial fibrillation and are pregnant or planning to try, you might wonder how it affects pregnancy.

AFib may or may not cause symptoms. Your doctor could find it during a regular physical.

To help diagnose AFib, your doctor may use a transesophageal echocardiogram to see how blood flows through heart valves.

Studies show that people with AFib who understand their condition and what it means to them have fewer symptoms.

If you have AFib, you'll need help keeping your heart in a normal rhythm. Various specialists will make up your AFib team.

With AFib, disparities come from a complicated mix of race, ethnicity, gender, age biases, and social and economic factors.

When your doctor diagnoses you with atrial fibrillation (AFib), you might wonder what to expect with your prognosis.

Treatments such as medications, nonsurgical procedures, and surgery can slow your heartbeat and bring it back into a normal rhythm.

Your HAS-BLED score tells the doctor how to manage your care. This way, everyone who has AFib is not treated the same way.

Heart rate control is a key way to manage atrial fibrillation. Doctors consider it one of the four pillars of AFib care.

One way to control AFib is to take rhythm control medication, which helps your heart return to and stay in a normal rhythm.

Through clinical trials, researchers are constantly working on safer and more effective ways to treat AFib.

For many people with AFib, medicine is the best treatment option. Learn which medicines your doctor could prescribe.

People with AFib are usually prescribed a blood thinner, such as direct thrombin inhibitors, to reduce the risk of clots.

Research shows that a class of blood thinner called a factor Xa inhibitor is a good option for treating AFib long-term.

Anticoagulants lower your chance of a stroke when you have AFib. Learn how these drugs work, who gets them, and what the risks are

Eliquis (apixaban) is a type of blood thinner known as a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC). It is classified as a Xa inhibitor.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers can have protective effects against AFib.

Calcium channel blockers treat AFib by slowing your heart rate and relaxing the heart muscle.

Digoxin is a medication used to help treat heart failure and heartbeat irregularities.

If you have atrial fibrillation (AFib), your doctor may suggest long-term blood thinners, also called anticoagulants.

You may be thinking about taking fish oil for your health. When it comes to AFib, should you reel it in or cut it loose?

If you have other medical conditions along with AFib, you might have to watch out for possible drug interactions.

If you have AFib and your heart is beating too slowly, your doctor may recommend a pacemaker along with other treatment.

If you have AFib, your doctor will probably suggest a treatment called cardioversion to help you get a normal rhythm back.

Two common nondrug treatments for AFib are cardioversion and cardiac ablation. You may get one or both.

The doctor may try cardiac ablation if medications and resetting your heartbeat -- also called cardioversion -- don’t work.

Often, cardiac ablation eases your symptoms and returns your heartbeat to normal. It may also lower your chances of a stroke.

Catheter ablation is a way to treat irregular heartbeats like AFib, atrial flutter, or supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).

Some meds can control your heart rate or can convert the heart's rhythm back to normal, but you might also have surgery.

If you have AFib, you may need surgery, called the maze procedure, or surgical ablation, to normalize your heart rhythm.

If your AFib doesn't respond to meds or cardiac ablations, your doctor may suggest a hybrid surgical-catheter ablation.

Your doctor might recommend LAA percutaneous closure surgery if you're at risk for clots in your left atrial appendage.