{"id":9023,"date":"2025-12-29T00:02:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T08:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=9023"},"modified":"2025-12-04T15:54:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T23:54:46","slug":"guess-the-rhythm-atrial-flutter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/guess-the-rhythm-atrial-flutter","title":{"rendered":"Guess the Rhythm: Atrial flutter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Answer: Atrial flutter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The findings of this ECG<\/strong> indicate atrial flutter (AF)<\/strong>. Atrial flutter<\/strong> is a type of tachyarrhythmia<\/strong>, where tachy means fast, and arrhythmia means irregular rhythm. So AF<\/strong> is a fast, abnormal heart rhythm that causes poor, inefficient atrial contractions<\/strong>, which can affect the heart\u2019s ability to pump blood<\/strong>. It\u2019s called flutter because of its identifiable recurring, regular, sawtooth-shaped flutter waves<\/strong> that can be seen on an ECG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the ECG<\/strong>, the heart rate<\/strong> is often between 200 to 350 beats per min<\/strong> with characteristic recurring, regular, sawtooth-shaped flutter waves<\/strong>. Typically the atrial and ventricular rhythms<\/strong> are regular, at a ratio of 2:1, 3:1, or 4:1<\/strong>. More rarely, ventricular conduction<\/strong> can be variable. The ventricular rate may vary based upon the conduction ratio<\/strong>. For instance, in a 2:1 conduction ratio<\/strong> the ventricular rate is around 150 beats per minute<\/strong>. Also note, P waves<\/strong> are rarely seen and, as a consequence, PR intervals<\/strong> are variable or can\u2019t be measured. The QRS complex<\/strong> is usually normal, but contains some AV blocks<\/strong> within flutter waves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about this and other types of cardiac rhythms on Osmosis: <\/strong>Arrhythmias – Atrial flutter (Aflutter): Nursing<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n