What the difference

[ckbeachgirl]

I'm trying to find out what the difference is between heart palpitations and atrial fibrillation? Can anyone explain?

[Cleveland Clinic]

Simple heart palpitations are a symptom described usually as a fluttering in your heart. There are many thousands of causes for this symptoms, one of which (by no means tha most common) is atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a disorganized chaotic activity in the atrial tissues, and is significant because if untreated can lead to strokes. Only an EKG during an event, or more likely an event recorder can tell if atrial fibrillation is causing one's palpitations.

[ckbeachgirl]

Then how would I know if I had atrial fibrillation? What are the most common symptoms? I guess I'm trying to figure out what's going on with me. I was diagnosed with mild MVP in 2002. Every once in a while I'll feel the heart flutter (at least I think that's what I think I'm feeling) most often it last all of a second and freaks me out, once in a while, after the flutter, my heart will start to race, and that lasts all of maybe less than a minute. I have been to a cardiologist, but she said I wouldn't need to see her unless the symptoms worsen or included shortness of breath and/or chest pain, which I don't have either. I'm just trying to find out if this could be a symptom of the MVP.