Dictionary entry overview: What does spiny mean? â¢ SPINY (adjective) The adjective SPINY has 2 senses: 1. having spines 2. having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc. Familiarity information: SPINY used as an adjective is rare.
Atrial Flutter Overview. Atrial flutter is an abnormality of the heart rhythm, resulting in a rapid and sometimes irregular heartbeat. Such abnormalities, whether in the rate or regularity of the heartbeat, are known as arrhythmias. The beating of the heart is controlled by electrical impulses.
Atrial Flutter Causes. Atrial flutter may be caused by abnormalities of the heart, by diseases of the heart, or by diseases elsewhere in the body that affect the heart. Atrial flutter may also be caused by consuming substances that change the way electrical impulses are transmitted through the heart. Atrial flutter can occur after open heart surgery. In a few people, no underlying cause is ever found. Heart diseases or abnormalities that can cause atrial flutter include the following: 1  Decreased blood flow to the heart (ischemia) due to coronary heart disease, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), and/or a heart attack. 2  High blood pressure (hypertension).