(NewsUSA) - Do you ever notice a flutter in your chest? Feel unusually tired even after a good night’s sleep? Get winded from walking up the stairs when that never used to happen? These little signs might not feel like a big deal, but they could point to something more serious: atrial fibrillation, or AFib.

AFib is the most common heart rhythm disorder in the world, affecting more than 60 million people.¹ In the U.S. alone, over 12 million people are expected to be living with the condition by 2030.²

Yet, awareness remains surprisingly low. A nationally representative survey sponsored by Medtronic found that nearly half of Americans haven’t heard of AFib.³ Because symptoms can be mild or easy to brush off, many people don’t realize they may be at risk. But without proper diagnosis and treatment, AFib can lead to major health complications, including blood clots, stroke, and heart failure.⁴

Know the Symptoms of AFib

AFib occurs when the upper chambers of the heart (called the atria) beat irregularly and out of sync with the lower chambers. This disrupts the heart’s normal rhythm and reduces its ability to pump blood efficiently. Over time, this can strain the heart and affect overall health.

Common signs of AFib include:

• A fluttering or irregular heartbeat
• A sensation that the heart is racing or skipping beats
• Fatigue or feeling unusually tired
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Chest discomfort or pressure

Because these symptoms can show up gradually, many people don’t connect them to a heart condition. In fact, according to the Medtronic-sponsored survey, one in four people said they wouldn’t take recurring symptoms like heart fluttering or fatigue very seriously, even if they lasted for months.

“The survey findings are a wake-up call—too many people haven’t heard of AFib or don’t recognize its symptoms as something worth acting on,” says Khaldoun Tarakji, MD, MPH, Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer of Cardiac Ablation Solutions at Medtronic. “By recognizing the early signs and talking with a healthcare provider, people have a better chance of managing AFib before it leads to more serious complications.”

Take Control with New AFib Treatments

Medications have long been the first choice for treating AFib, but they don’t work for everyone. In fact, about half of patients find that medications either don’t fully relieve their symptoms or cause unwanted side effects.^5-7

Newer, less invasive treatment options – like ablation procedures – are becoming more widely available, yet many people don’t know they exist.³ Despite their effectiveness, more than half of Americans have never heard of ablation procedures. One promising approach, called pulsed field ablation, uses short, controlled bursts of electrical energy to correct the heart’s rhythm without damaging nearby healthy tissue. This treatment can be used alongside medications or, in some cases, as an alternative.

If you’ve been experiencing ongoing fatigue, heart flutters, or shortness of breath, don’t ignore these symptoms. Talk to your doctor about what you’re feeling and explore all the treatment options that might help you feel better.

To learn more about AFib and pulsed field ablation, visit Medtronic.com/Afib.

References

1. Roth GA, Mensah GA, Johnson CO et al. Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors, 1990-2019: Update From the GBD 2019 Study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020;76:2982-3021.
2. Colilla S, Crow A, Petkun W, Singer DE, Simon T, Liu X. Estimates of current and future incidence and prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the U.S. adult population. Am J Cardiol. 2013;112:1142–1147.
3. Medtronic Data on File. Morning Consult. 2025. National Tracking Poll on Atrial Fibrillation Awareness. Sponsored by Medtronic. Online Survey, n= 2202. August 16–18, 2025.
4. Wolf PA, Abbott RD, Kannel WB. Atrial fibrillation as an independent risk factor for stroke: the Framingham Study. Stroke. August 1991;22(8):983-988.
5. Andrade JG. Ablation as First-line Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation. Eur Cardiol. 2023;18: e46. 
6. Al-Jazairi MIH, Nguyen BO, De With RR, et al. Antiarrhythmic drugs in patients with early persistent atrial fibrillation and heart failure: results of the RACE 3 study. Europace. 2021;23(9):1359-1368. 
7. Valembois L et al. Antiarrhythmics for maintaining sinus rhythm after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD005049.  

This content was published with support from Medtronic.

About the Medtronic-Sponsored Survey:

Medtronic engaged Morning Consult to conduct a nationally representative survey to gain insights into consumer perceptions and awareness of atrial fibrillation and related treatment options. The survey was deployed among 2,200 U.S. adults between August 16 and August 18, 2025, using an online survey.