Atrial fibrillation is a heart rhythm problem which causes rapid and irregular beating of the heart.
An estimated two million Americans have atrial fibrillation and about 15 percent of strokes are attributable to the disorder. Atrial fibrillation can cause symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, shortness of breath and chest discomfort. The AMD detects and distinguishes various atrial rhythms by analyzing rhythm patterns similar to the way a physician reviews patterns shown by an electrocardiogram. The AMD is slightly larger than a pacemaker and is implanted under the skin just below the collarbone. Wires from the AMD are threaded through veins leading back to the right atrium and right ventricle of the heart.