Patient/caregiver was educated that risk factors for atrial flutter include any conditions that can lead to excessive and/or abnormal stimulation of heart. These conditions are as follows:
- Previous heart surgery
- Scar tissue can form during healing of cardiac tissue post-surgery. This scar tissue resists normal conduction of cardiac impulse.
- This can result in abnormal route of conduction of cardiac impulse, resulting in atrial flutter.
- Stress and Anxiety
- In conditions of stress and anxiety, excess adrenaline is released into the circulation.
- This excess adrenaline increasingly stimulates the heart, which can result in rapid heart rate and altered rhythm.
- Cholesterol accumulation
- Excessive cholesterol accumulation in the coronary arteries can result in reduced supply of oxygenated blood to the cardiac muscle, leading to the damage of the cardiac muscle.
- This damaged cardiac muscle can inhibit the normal conduction of cardiac impulse and lead to an abnormal route of conduction, resulting in atrial flutter.
