Your heart beats about 100,000 times each day, maintaining a steady rhythm. But what happens when your heart’s rhythm falls out of sync?
It’s estimated more than 10.5 million adults in the United States are living with atrial fibrillation (AFib) — a common but serious condition that causes an irregular heartbeat and increases your risk of stroke and heart failure.1
What is AFib?
If you’ve been diagnosed with AFib, it means the electrical system of your heart isn’t working the way it should. As a result, the upper chambers of your heart (called atria) begin to beat in an irregular or chaotic rhythm. Without a regular rhythm, it’s more difficult for your heart to pump enough blood to your lungs and the rest of your body.
AFib causes and risk factors
AFib can happen when there are changes or damage to the heart tissue or the electrical system of the heart.2
Several factors can increase the risk of developing AFib, including: 2
Aging — the risk of AFib increases with age
Family history — having relatives with AFib increases your risk of AFib
Unhealthy lifestyle habits — consuming alcohol or drugs, smoking, and stress can increase the risk of AFib
Medical conditions — including heart disease, lung problems, kidney disease, thyroid problems, diabetes, and high blood pressure
Race — AFib is more common in the U.S. among white people than Black, Hispanic or Asian people; however, Black people have a higher risk of serious complications
Medical procedures — the risk of AFib is higher in the days or weeks following some types of surgery, like heart surgery
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AFib symptoms
People with AFib may experience the following symptoms:3
Rapid heartbeat
Feeling that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard
Dizziness or feeling faint
Shortness of breath
Extreme tiredness
AFib doesn’t always cause symptoms you can feel. In some cases, AFib can only be detected with a medical exam.
AFib treatment
The main goals of AFib treatment are to restore the heart’s normal rate and rhythm and reduce the risk of serious complications, such as stroke. Your personalized treatment plan may include healthy lifestyle changes, medications, and medical procedures.4
Beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and anti-arrhythmic drugs are common treatment options to manage the heart’s rate and rhythm. Medical procedures like cardioversion or catheter ablation may be needed to correct irregular electrical signals in the heart.4
The most important health concern in AFib is the increased risk of stroke. Anticoagulant medications (blood thinners) or medical procedures can help reduce the risk of stroke with AFib.4
Is AFib dangerous?
Without treatment, people with AFib are five times more likely to have a stroke than the general population. This is because AFib disrupts the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently, causing it to pool in the left atrial appendage, or LAA. When blood sits too long, blood clots can begin to form. If a clot travels from the heart to the brain, it can block blood flow, leading to a stroke.5
Stroke prevention is an important part of AFib treatment. Blood thinner medications are a common treatment to manage your stroke risk. However, these medications must be taken everyday to be effective. Additionally, blood thinner medications come with an increased risk of bleeding and other side effects.
The WATCHMAN Implant is an alternative to daily blood thinners to lower stroke risk for people with non-valvular AFib (NV-AFib). It’s placed during a safe, minimally-invasive, one-time procedure and never needs to be replaced.
There are risks associated with all medical procedures. Please talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of the WATCHMAN Implant.
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References:
Noubiap JJ, Tang JJ, Teraoka JT, et al. Minimum National Prevalence of Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation Inferred From California Acute Care Facilities. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2024 Oct 15;84(16):1501-1508.
Atrial Fibrillation Causes and Risk Factors. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Updated November 30, 2022. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/atrial-fibrillation/causes
What Are the Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation? American Heart Association website. Updated March 27, 2023. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation/what-are-the-symptoms-of-atrial-fibrillation-afib-or-af
Treatment Options for Atrial Fibrillation. American Heart Association website. Updated March 27, 2023. Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation/treatment-and-prevention-of-atrial-fibrillation/treatment-options-of-atrial-fibrillation-afib-or-af
Atrial Fibrillation (Afib). Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16765-atrial-fibrillation-afib. Accessed June 10, 2024.
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Content on this web page is for Informational Purposes only and does not constitute medical advice and should not be used for medical diagnoses. Boston Scientific strongly recommends that you consult with your physician on all matters pertaining to your health or to address any clinical/medical questions.
Important Safety Information
The WATCHMAN FLX and WATCHMAN FLX Pro Devices are permanent implants designed to close the left atrial appendage in the heart in an effort to reduce the risk of stroke.
With all medical procedures there are risks associated with the implant procedure and the use of the device. The risks include, but are not limited to, accidental puncture of the heart causing fluid to collect around the heart possibly leading towards the need for an additional procedure, allergic reaction, anesthesia risks, altered mental status or confusion after procedure, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), bleeding or throat pain from the TEE (Trans Esophageal Echo) probe, chest pain/discomfort, congestive heart failure, renal failure, excessive bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, groin puncture bleed, bruising at the catheter insertion site, groin pain, anemia (reduced red blood cells requiring transfusion), hypotension, infection/pneumonia (example: in or around your heart or lungs), misplacement of the device, improper seal of the appendage or movement of device from appendage wall, clot formation on the device, blood clot or air bubbles in the lungs or other organs, stroke, transient ischemic attack (temporary stroke-like symptoms), cranial bleed (bleeding in or around your brain), thrombosis (blockage of a blood vessel or vein by a clot) and in rare cases death can occur.
Be sure to talk with your doctor so that you thoroughly understand all of the risks and benefits associated with the implantation of the device. SH-2109508-AA