Signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation

Learn the signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation.

On this page

• What are the signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation?
• Should you be tested?
• How is atrial fibrillation diagnosed?

What are the signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation?

The most common symptom is an irregular heartbeat. But the signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation can differ from person to person. Other symptoms can include:

• dizziness
• faintness
• chest pain
• fast heart rate
• fatigue (tiredness)
• shortness of breath

Should you be tested?

You should be tested if your pulse is more than 100 beats per minute and has an irregular beat.

How is atrial fibrillation diagnosed?

You can find out if you have atrial fibrillation through a test that records the heart’s electrical activity. This test is called an electrocardiogram. The test is painless. You may need to wear a small monitor that you can move around in for 24 hours. The monitor will track your heart’s electrical activity and display the results in a graph.

If you have atrial fibrillation, your health care provider will develop a plan to best manage it for you.