Health encyclopaedia

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Diagnosis of Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation can be strongly suspected simply by feeling the pulse, but a complete diagnosis calls for full medical investigation.

One of the most important tests is the electrocardiograph (ECG). This device draws a tracing on a strip of paper to give an accurate representation of the changes in electrical activity occurring in the heart, and can also give evidence of any previous heart disease that may have been the cause of the condition. The irregularity of the heart action is usually immediately obvious.

Routine blood tests can also be useful in the diagnosis. They may show anaemia, which may be complicating the situation, impaired kidney function, or thyroid gland overactivity (thyrotoxicosis). A chest X-ray in a young patient may suggest the presence of heart disease that may have been present from birth. In an older patient it can give information on the size of the heart and whether heart failure is present.

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