This morning we discussed a case of CHF decompensation secondary to atrial flutter with rapid ventricular response. Atrial flutter is an arrhythmia of organized atrial activity that is not a sinus rhythm. It can be seen its own or sometime as a transition arrhythmia between sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation.
Any disorders predisposing to atrial fibrillation can cause atrial flutter including thyrotoxicosis, obesity, the sick sinus syndrome, pericarditis, pulmonary disease, and pulmonary embolism. Mitral valve prolapse and cardiac surgery are also risk factors for developing atrial flutter.
Atrial flutter is very similar to atrial fibrillation its clinical presentation and should be treated the same in terms of rate control and anticoagulation. Ablations therapy is very successful for atrial flutter, however, so long-term antiarrhythmic medications are infrequently used.
Here is review on managment of Atrial Flutter.
* the hallmark of atrial flutter on ECG is the saw-tooth pattern (also referred as a picket fence pattern).
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