Patient was educated on signs and symptoms of atrial flutter as follows:
- Clot formation
- The abnormally rapid quivering of the atria can lead to formation of clots with consequent signs and symptoms of thrombosis and embolism.
- The symptoms can vary depending on the organ systems involved due to the embolus.
- Shortness of breath
- Reduced oxygenated blood supply to vital organs can also result in weakness, shortness of breath and dyspnea.
- Swelling of extremities
- The ineffective and rapid contractions of the lower chambers of the heart result in reduced emptying of the ventricles and compromised pumping of blood into circulation.
- Back up of blood in the ventricular chambers can lead to increased blood volume and pressure in the ventricular chambers, resulting in enlargement of the heart, progressive weakening of heart muscle, and heart failure.
- Patients can present with symptoms of heart failure, such as, fluid retention in the chest leading to difficulty in gas exchange in the lungs, swelling of the extremities with pitting edema, and grossly limited exercise tolerance with exacerbation of episodes of shortness of breath.
- Patients also can present with progressively reduced output from the heart and consequently, reduced blood supply to the vital organs.
