Copyright &copy 1997-2010 by Fred SeneseComments & questions to fsenese@frostburg.eduLast Revised 08/17/15.URL: http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/consumer/faq/why-does-alkaseltzer-fizz.shtml.
Atrial flutter symptoms can come and go, with fast heart beat episodes lasting from some hours or days. In some cases, atrial flutter happens all the time. With proper treatment, atrial flutter is rarely life threatening. Complications of atrial flutter can be serious, but they can usually be prevented with treatment.
Atrial flutter is a common tachycardia (fast heart beat) that results from a rapid electrical circuit in the atrium (Figure 2). Atrial flutter can be caused by scarring in the heart resulting from prior cardiac disease or heart surgery, but it can also occur in some patients with no other identifiable heart problems.